


LOVE BEYOND THE BOOK COVER

by Larryhasmyheart



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, CPR needed, Des is kind of a jerk, Emotional Sex, Eventual Smut, Humor, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, POV mostly Louis, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Sexual Humor, homophobic fraternity boys, prankster louis, romantic smut, whispers of canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-02-02
Packaged: 2018-09-21 15:53:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 37,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9555959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larryhasmyheart/pseuds/Larryhasmyheart
Summary: Louis is a LGBTQ+ college student who is known on campus for fighting for equal rights in the face of the bigotry rampant in the ACO fraternity; his friends also know him for being a sassy prangster.What happens when he rubs shoulders with Harry Styles, the newest ACO member and rich son of Des Styles...for all appearances, their smug, new heterosexual poster boy?  No, he doesn't think he's cute, thank you very much; in fact, he's the epitome of everything that irritates him.When Louis and his roommates decide to pull the most daring prank on the fraternity to date, he learns things aren't always as they seem, and never in his wildest dreams did he expect things to turn out the way they did!





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lovemylarry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovemylarry/gifts).



> Dear readers,
> 
> This project sprung from a one-on-one fic exchange with Lovemylarry , who I met in a Christmas exchange. We turned disappointment into creativity, and I am so happy to present the completed fic! The prompt that was given me took on a life of its own once I started writing, and I sincerely hope it brings joy to lovemylarry and all who may read it. My intention is to bring a humorous and emotional, yet sexy and triumphant story, and I hope I will not disappoint! 
> 
> This is completed and posted with much love, and no disrespect is intended to any of the real people named in the story, as the characters are my own. 
> 
> I REALLY wanted to add pictures and music lyncs, but I just couldn't figure out how!
> 
> My apologies for not including Niall and Liam in this fic. No particular reason, other than they just didn't call to me!
> 
> This is the first time I have written hate-to-love and smut, so I hope you will forgive any "inconsistencies."

“Well, look at that guys, the rainbow hero is here!”

A group of fraternity brats stood across the street, and they weren’t complementing Louis as he unpacked his car. He promptly flipped them the bird.

“Nice to see you too!” He called with sarcastic cheerfulness as he continued to haul his suitcase into the ranch-style house that would be his home for the next nine months. His junior year at Norton College was starting out just perfectly.

He lifted the last item from his Buick Road Master and carried it up the cement steps, giving it an apologetic nod, mumbling, “I know, I know, be nice.”

Carefully pressing the cardboard box against the brick exterior with his body, he used his key to open the metal door and held it open with his bum as he carefully re-grasped the package and entered. The box held his most prized possession.

Without taking off his shoes, he went straight to the room he would claim as his own, and set his prized possession on the bare mattress. Looking around, he took stock of the familiar space he hadn’t seen for three months.

There was the same desk, the same dresser, the same closet with the metal double doors, and the same wide window that faced the all-mighty Alpha Chi Omega fraternity house…ACO. This window is why he chose the room.

Leaning against the sill, he studied the fraternity’s over-the-top ornate, brick structure as memories tickled the corners of his brain. He and his roommates had pulled some evil tricks on the rich, smug members of ACO, but those stupid buggers had never figured out who had pranked them. 

The location of the house, who he would share with the same two roommates from last year, Zayn Malik and Steve Aoki, was perfect…just a block from the Norton College of Education and Arts they attended. He expected Zayn to join him today, and he couldn’t wait to see his partner in crime again and pick up where they left off…but, first things first.

He opened the box on his bed and pulled out a soft rag, using it to wipe off the three-month layer of dust that had gathered on the desk. Shaking it out, he started removing the contents of the box, lovingly rubbing down each item.

The first was an eight by eleven picture of himself with an arm around a lovely forty-something brunette woman…his mother. The love and pride beaming from her face shone out and would be his inspiration whenever he felt like quitting. He placed it tenderly in the middle of the desk.

Next came four more, smaller pictures of his siblings: Lottie, his oldest sister who was growing up too damn fast; Fizzy, who wasn’t far behind; Daisy and Phoebe the oldest set of twins, Doris and Ernie, the youngest, and the lights of his life. Despite looking forward to another year of college, he already missed them. 

He heard the front door burst open and Zayn’s loud, “Hey you dumb-ass, I know you’re here!” The clunk of a large duffel bag scraped against the floor, the door slammed, and then Zayn was in his room’s doorway.

“Bout time, looser!” They gave each other a big bear hug, then Louis held him at arm’s length looking him up and down. “The same Zayn…summer hasn’t done a thing for you!”

Zayn gave him a playful right hook to the jaw, then glanced at his un-opened suitcase and dresser full of pictures. “The same Louis,” he said with less exuberance but much more feeling. 

Louis glanced back at the pictures with a small, affectionate smile, then blinked back at Zayn, opening his arms wide in a sweeping gesture at his desk. 

“That’s right, bro, that’s never gonna change. My fam! My babes! My beautiful mom!”

Zayn leaned on the door jam and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it and inhaling deeply as Louis finally unzipped his luggage and started pulling out jeans, sweats, long-sleeved tees, and sweaters.

“It’s going to be a great year, Zayn. Already have an idea for a Halloween prank for our ‘friends’ at ACO.” 

“I love you, man.” Zayn said, blowing smoke. “The secret terror of the illustrious Alpha Chi Omega fraternity house is also the biggest mama’s boy…if the fraternity pricks and the dean only knew!” 

“I wear both titles proudly! Not my fault they are such short-sighted prigs.”

Zayn laughed and turned to bring his own bag into his room down the hall. “When does Steve get here?” He called over his shoulder.

“I think sometime tomorrow. Let the party begin!”

The next afternoon found them both lounging on the couch, Louis sitting cross-legged in grey sweats and a tee shirt that said, “I’m gay...so shoot me” across the front. Zayn wore a black sweatshirt and jeans, and inhaled from a joint that he passed to Louis while he held his breath. They had stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, unpacking and catching up, and now were lazily anticipating the arrival of Steve.

Louis took the joint between thumb and pointer, his pinkie classically raised.

“Here’s to starting the year out with a bang, eh?” He inhaled and handed it back to Zayn, squinting at the ceiling as he felt the burn on his throat and the first hint of a buzz already floating through his head. He exhaled slowly.

“Jeez, where’d you get THIS stuff?”

The paraphernalia was scattered on the coffee table, and a baseball game flashed across the TV screen from one of the sports channels. Louis grabbed a handful of Frito Lay chips and started popping them in one by one.

“Goodbye gift from the gang back home. If we stick to special occasions, we can make it last most of the year.”

“Seriously, it being our junior year and all, this can’t be a regular thing or my GPA will suffer.”

“Same,” Zayn answered, squinting at Louis sideways. “My classes this year include Leadership in Education, and I start tutoring a student from the local middle school.”

“Really?” Louis twisted around to view him head on. “I have to take a Business Ed class this year, which will be boring as hell, but at least I have Theater Arts to look forward to.”

A grin slowly widened on Zayn’s face as he continued to eye Louis, his stare already becoming glassy with the high.

“I’d give anything to see you flitting about the stage, Tommo my man,” he said, using his favorite nickname.

“They aren’t doing a Christmas production this year, but if they did I’d probably end up playing Bob Crachet…or one of the carolers…or even the damn turkey!”

They both laughed loudly and didn’t notice when the door opened, and their roommate Steve came in with his two duffel bags; his wardrobe always necessitated more than one bag. He hung up his chocolate-brown, hip-length leather jacket, and shook his head at the two on the couch.

“Already partying, I see! What a greeting!” He called loudly.

“Stevo!” Louis hopped off the couch and the room spun a little. “How’s my man!”

He padded over on bare feet and whipped his arm around the young man who wore his slick black hair in a ponytail that reached mid shoulder. There was a slight Asian look about him, and his chin sported a tastefully trimmed dark beard. Louis reached up and tweaked it.

“Look at this, Zayn! Stevo here has grown up!”

Steve chuckled and playfully slapped his hand away. Zayn got up, joint in hand, and made his way over to give the young man a hug.

“Bugger, so he has! Not too grown up to join us, I hope!” He held the joint out.

“Not so much…man, I missed you clowns!”

Without touching the offered refer, he took a hit off it as he picked his bags back up to take them to the last bedroom, then stopped, exhaling smoke.

“I thought you two would be scoping out the scene in front of the frat house.”

“What scene?” 

Steve nodded his head towards Louis’s room. “Take a look.”

Louis and Zayn glanced at each other, then scrambled to Louis’s room and looked carefully out the bedroom window. Parked in front of the prestigious fraternity house was a long-stretch, shiny black limo. Its driver, donned in complete uniform with cap, was just getting out.

“What the fuck…” Zayn mumbled absently, taking another hit from his joint.

Louis bent his head to get a better view. “That’s a first, even for them.”

They watched as the driver went to the rear passenger door and opened it, standing aside to make room for his charge. The first thing they saw was a golden suede boot attached to a leg dressed in skinny black jeans.

“Aw, man…” Zayn continued to mumble through the weed’s smoke.

Limb by limb, a tall figure gallantly emerged dressed in a knee-length, expensive-looking dark gold jacket with black trim. His hair flowed past his shoulders in rebellious waves, and Louis swore he could see that his eyes were green all the way from his damn window. The young man’s expression was serious, his brow knotted as he surveyed his surroundings like an offended prince.

“Who the bloody hell is THAT.” Zayn said with a bit more force.

“I have no idea,” Louis answered, staring intently, “but whoever it is, he obviously can’t be bothered to open his own bloody DOOR.”

The driver moved around to the back and pulled out two, large leather-encased suitcases, and the tall, mysterious stranger lead the way up the walk, head held high, past the white pillars through to the entrance. 

“A whole limo for one dude?” Zayn asked, incredulous.

“Doesn’t know how to carry bags either,” Louis scoffed matter-of-factly, but couldn’t look away as the man squared his shoulders and pulled out a card key, opening the door and holding it wide for the driver. He looked around once more as if he wasn’t sure this setting would be good enough for him before they both disappeared into Alpha Chi Omega’s lofty hall.

“Guess he DOES know how to open a door, eh?” Zayn joked, handing the weed to Louis. “Was that guy here last year?”

“No.” Louis continued to gaze at the fraternity door, absently taking the joint. “Surely not. I would remember him…what a pretentious bastard.”

Zayn chuckled heartily, raising his eyebrows at the door before they moved away to bother Steve and finish off their joint.

It didn’t take long before things settled in like they had never left the campus for summer break. Though the three of them were thick as thieves, Steve was already nagging them for things like leaving jam-covered knives and crumbs on the counters all night.

“Fuck, we’re going to get mice in here…you guys want to live with mice?”

“We can always get a cat,” Zayn suggested.

Not to mention pizza boxes that were already stacking up and ashtrays that didn’t get emptied soon enough.

“How’d I get stuck living with two smokers…you guys can at least smoke outside and dump your ass trays, what the hell.”

The first of many meaningless threats came within the week.

“That’s it, I’m divorcing you two!”

To which Louis answered, with the sincerity of an angel, after swallowing a bite of his Subway sandwich, “Jesus, it’s good to be back!”

Classes had also begun, and Louis always found it interesting, the mish-mash of fraternity and sorority students vs. everyone else. He tried to get along with people, he really did, but he had no patience for the uppity attitudes that were apparent in almost every fraternity student he encountered.

One of the electives he had chosen was a weekly First Responders First-Aid class, because why not, and it was a nod to his mother, who was a nurse. Also, as he had correctly anticipated, there were very few fraternity students. Actually, only two girls from the Mega Chi Gamma sister sorority.

The conversation he overheard the first day was quite interesting.

“Oh my God, did you see the new guy from ACO?”

“You mean the one who looks like Tarzan and Mick Jagar rolled into one?”

“Yes, ha-ha! He is so hot. I here he is totally rich, too. Rumor has it that he broke a bunch of girl’s hearts back home, so he is up for grabs!”

“Right, like I’m sure he’s just waiting to be grabbed by you!”

“Well, he’s in my French class, so oui oui!”

Great, Louis had thought to himself, another rich, holier-than-thou, hetero-banging Casanova. 

He may be just a little biased, though he wouldn’t allow himself to admit it. His encounter with the ACO fraternity as a freshman was something too painful to think about for any length of time, though he convinced himself he was totally over it. 

He had started his freshman year as a newly out-and-proud gay nineteen year old, and that hadn’t set right with some of the ACO members; they had punished him mercilessly. Instead of collapsing, Louis had fought back by continuing to be himself in the most unapologetic, flamboyant way he knew, and eventually the dean and powers that be intervened and the mini war drew a cease fire. As a result, Louis was well known on campus as a defender of GLBTQ+ rights, and was an honorary member of the campus Rainbow Regime. 

Though he wasn’t bitter, his disdain for all things ACO remained, and nothing that had happened since his freshman year had done anything to change his opinion. Besides, he was having too much fun pranking them, and they were harmless pranks…for the most part. 

The second Monday in September he had his first Business Education class. Not only did the topic bore him, but he was sure there would be a high percentage of brats in the class, so he wore his sparkly, rainbow long tee on purpose. 

Filing in with several other students, he chose a desk on the end half way up the rows of stadium-type seating, stacking his book and notepad, and eyed the instructor. Mr. Milton was a middle-aged man with round Elton John glasses dressed in a business suit and tie, the poor uncomfortable sod. He tapped his pen against his hand waiting for everyone to file in their seats.

Just before the class was set to begin, the door opened again, and the room got momentarily quiet. 

“Well…look who’s here,” Louis thought, sitting up a little straighter.

Golden boots himself stood at the door, and yes, his eyes were green…a luminous green that seemed to put every light bulb in the place to shame. He wore an open button down under a sports jacket that had an HES embroidered on the pocket. As he looked over the seating arrangement for an empty desk, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear and licking his lips, Louis’s eyes narrowed on him.

“Mr. Harry Styles!” The instructor smiled widely at him. “Welcome to Norton!”

So now mystery boy had a name…OK, the odds of pranking success just went up exponentially. 

Harry nodded at the instructor with a little smile, and continued surveying the room for an open spot.

The seat in front of Louis was empty, but as Harry’s eyes scanned by, Louis lifted his feet one by one and crossed them over the back of the chair, leaning in his seat, hands folded behind his head, the vaguest smirk on his face.

Harry stopped and stared at him for a moment, then flicked his eyes down to focus on his rainbow tee shirt for the briefest second. He looked back up and locked eyes with him before moving away and taking a seat a few rows over without so much as another glance.

Louis did enjoy his petty torments, though the stuck up curmudgeon probably couldn’t care less. A few students snickered, and he smiled around at them innocently.

He felt the instructor’s eyes on him, and looked to see an unbelieving grimace and silent request to please get his damn feet off the desk. 

Smiling an apology, Louis complied, and vocalized a humble “sorry.” For some reason, he found himself looking out the corner of his eye to where Harry had seated himself to see his reaction. No, he hadn’t noticed. He was setting up his notebook, and for all intents and purpose, it appeared that he had totally forgotten the boy in the rainbow shirt. 

A twinge of annoyance coursed through Louis, and for the life of him he didn’t understand why. He couldn’t care less what the likes of harry Styles thought of him, or if he thought of him at all. 

The class started, and he listened to the drone of the instructor, tried to take notes, and determined he would in turn ignore Harry Style’s existence. Before the hour was over, he turned to the inside of his notebook to double check and see how often he had the class…Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. So, he would have the satisfaction of ignoring…or trying to ignore…Harry three times a week.

When he got home that day, Zayn was on the couch with his laptop on the coffee table in front of him. He looked entrenched in something important. Louis set his books down and plopped next to him.

“Stop what you’re doing and talk to me a minute.” 

Zayn continued to type away at the keys. “This education class is both interesting and annoying as hell…I’ve already got this paper due tomorrow.” He paused and sat back. “But as long as you’re asking me so nicely…” He flicked Louis’s ear.

Louis shooed his hand away. “Mr. Limo is in my Business Ed class.”

Zayn stared at him with a smirk. “And…?”

“His name is Harry Styles, and honestly, he is such a jerk.”

“Surprise, surprise.”

Louis grasped the bottom of his shirt and pulled it out dramatically. “He took one look at my tee and walked away in disgust. I’m telling you, I bet he’s the biggest homophobe.”

Zayn reached for his cigarettes; as long as he wasn’t typing, he may as well smoke. “Ignored you, did he?” He asked with a laugh.

“Fuck you, Zayn. The point is, he’s in my class three times a week and we know his name. This is a real opportunity to plan the best prank.”

“What do you have in mind?” He reached for the ashtray that already had several butts in it.

“Is there a way to figure out which room he’s in?”

Zayn lit his cigarette and blew smoke. “Wow, I don’t know man...you’d almost have to crash one of their parties or something.”

Louis froze and grabbed Zayn by the arm. “That’s BRILLIANT! I was thinking of something more technical, but that’s a much better idea! Zayn, you are brilliant!”

Zayn snorted. “Come on, like we’d get in. I was totally joking.”

Louis bit on his thumb nail then shook his fist, the wheels in his head turning. “No, come on, we can do this! I just have to figure out a plan.”

“Louis, the mastermind.” Zayn chuckled as he smoked, pulling a foot up on the couch. 

“Make fun all you want, but I’m going to find out where their first party is, and I’m going to get us in.”

“If you can figure it out, I’m game.”

For the rest of the week, he continued to ignore Harry during Business Ed, though he had to admit it was a little difficult. Instead of crossing the front of the room to go up the aisle to get to his seat like that first day, Harry used the aisle that took him right past Louis’s desk. That meant he had to inconveniently go to the top and cross over and down again in order to get to his seat.

Why the hell would he do that? Not once did he glance at Louis or acknowledge him in any way. Had the little shit chosen his route simply so he could pointedly snub him? Not that Louis was a narcissist, but quite frankly, it’s something he himself might do.

Never mind that his face was milky smooth and cherub like some Disney princess, with fucking dimples, or that Louis got a whiff of some attractive-smelling cologne as he breezed by. Who the hell wears cologne to classes? Fucking Casanova. 

By the end of Friday’s class, he found himself making a mental list of all the reasons why he didn’t like this guy, and why it was necessary to pull a prank…like the various jackets he wore with his initials embroidered on them…like it seemed he had a whole collection.

How pretentious can you get? The ACO students DID have special navy-blue jackets with the fraternity emblem on them that they frequently wore to class and class events. That was annoying enough, but Louis didn’t remember any of them being THIS self-absorbed.

Two can play at this snubbing game, and Louis timed his departure from Friday’s class so that he could march right past Harry and exit the door without a backward glance. 

“Right,” Louis said to himself, “I’m sure you showed him.”

Thank God it was Friday. Rainbow Regime had a welcoming party planned for the freshman, and it was going to be a big deal. Students from all walks attended their parties, and there was usually a write-up in the local newspaper. 

Before going home though, he decided he had to start implementing his plan to figure out information on ACO. What better place to begin than the ACO student lounge on a Friday? After making a stop to the restroom, that’s exactly where he headed.

As he breezed down the long hall, several students greeted him along the way with shouts of “Louis!” and “Good to see you Tommo!” and “You’ll be there tonight?” He paused to give high fives and hugs.

“You BET! It’s going to be great!”

He had almost reached the stairs, when Steve jogged up next to him.

“Hey, roomie!”

“Hey, what’s up?” 

Steve joined him down the rounded staircase. “You are looking at one of the new junior editors on the school newspaper!” He smiled proudly and slapped the first copy into Louis’s chest. “Front page...hot off the press!”

They stopped at the bottom of the stairs, and Louis browsed the top section that gave credentials, and there was a small icon of his roommate’s face along with his name.

“Congrats! That is amazing, Steve, you’re famous. Is there a write up of RR’s party tonight?” He started walking down the hall to the left.

“Page three!” Steve watched him a moment. “Where you headed?”

Louis stepped back in front of him with a sly grin. “Oh, you know, I get a little curious now and then about the goings on in the great world of frat-dom.”

“Ahhh,” Steve winked in understanding. “Well…in that case you might be interested in looking at page four…conveniently on the flip side of page three.” He backed up before turning in the other direction to find the East doorway, smiling scandalously over his shoulder. “Catch you later!”

Burning with curiosity, Louis licked his thumb, opened the first page, and stared at the small, one paragraph article titled “Rainbow Regime’s Annual Welcome Party Tonight.” There was a small group photo, including himself, in rainbow gala. The article included a nice bit about making LGBTQ+ people feel safe and acknowledged. 

He started walking again, smiling to himself, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. This is what their group was all about. He didn’t want anyone to go through what he had gone through as a freshman, and they really had made a difference.

So what was on page four? Flipping to look, he stopped again. Fuck. The whole damn page was dedicated to the students belonging to ACO and GCO, how they added prestige to their school and community, details of some of their projects planned for the year, AND…there was a picture of Harry Styles, surrounded by girls from the sister sorority, Mega Chi Gamma. 

The caption read, “Sisters from MCG were excited about the arrival of handsome Harry Styles, son of Des Styles CEO of 3M, to the chapter of Alpha Chi Omega fraternity.”

So THAT’S why he got a limo all to himself. WhatEVER. Look at him, like he’s got a damn harem. Not that he always believed everything he read, but it all fit too perfectly with everything he already knew…Harry Styles, the new heterosexual poster boy for ACO.

A ball of anger threatened to choke him as he lamented why ACO got a full page, and Rainbow Regime got a little paragraph. Should be the other way around, to his way of thinking. He would have a serious talk with Steve about this, not that Steve could help it. 

Piss on it. With new resolve, he folded the paper under his arm and made his way to the ACO lounge, and without hesitation, pushed his way through the doors.

Plush. High ceiling. Velvet chairs and couches. A whole row of vending machines with everything from soup to nuts, quite literally. There were several students, all of them wearing the navy blue fraternity jacket, gathering to chat about the weekend, or remind each other how brilliant they all were, or whatever, Louis didn’t care.

Harry Styles stood by the drink vending machine in the far corner, like he was having a hard time deciding which drink to select, and Louis felt the hair on his arms stand up. 

He turned to the large bulletin board on the wall to the left, exactly what he was looking for. A few ACO brats turned to look at him curiously askance. Louis ignored them, and quickly scanned the board, finding what he wanted immediately. The ACO fraternity was having an exclusive, invite-only costume party that included the Mega Chi Gamma sorority, on October 27th at the local country club. 

Costume party…could this be more perfect? Oh, this was going to be good.

As he reveled in this information, he heard bits of a hushed conversation from several at a table close to him.

“Hold on to your girlfriend, brother, that’s all.”

“So, you think he’s hot or something?”

“Hey, I’m as straight as they come, but even I think he’s hot.”

They laughed loudly at that.

Could they be talking about ANYBODY else? Louis thought to himself as he mentally perked up his ears.

“Yes…but do you notice he never wears the brother jacket? All he wears are those jackets with his initials on the pockets…like that’s a little, you know…come on, show a little solidarity.”

Louis blinked his eyes slowly over his shoulder to where Harry stood putting a green bill in the slot and finally selecting a drink. The jacket he wore today was black, and his initials gold. Hell, even the fraternity brats thought he was uppity.

One of the guys finally looked over at Louis.

“What are you doing here anyways, Tomlinson?” 

Louis turned to face them without hesitation, and opened the paper to page three.

“I just wanted you all to be aware, in case you missed our ad in the school paper, of our welcome party tonight. It’s very important to make the GLBTQ+ community feel safe, particularly for the incoming freshmen…I figured you might appreciate a personal visit from me, and could you spread the word that I was here?”

Everybody stopped what they were doing to look at him, including Harry, who was just opening his can of spritzer. The sound of the metal pulling back and the fizz seemed to echo, and Harry’s green eyes fixed on him with an unreadable expression. 

“What ad?” Someone joked quietly.

“Well, thanks for gracing us with your presence!” Another of them said with humorous sarcasm.

“You’re welcome!” Louis answered with complete, feigned sincerity. “I hope to see you there!” 

And with a self-control he never knew he had, he turned on his heel without looking at Harry again, and left the lounge. 

Louis stood in front of his long mirror checking himself out one more time. He had spent some time getting his fringe to look just right, though it was meant to look scruffy. His trousers hung with just enough cling to show off his bum a little, and he wore his favorite maroon, boat-neck knit top. Not TOO bad. 

“You guys close to being ready!” He called to Zayn and Steve loudly.

“I’ve been ready for twenty minutes,” he heard Steve from the kitchen. “Waiting for you preening peacocks.”

Louis left his room to find him leaning on the counter wearing black jeans and black tee that said “Love Yourself” in rainbow letters, drinking a bottle of Stella Artois beer. When he saw Louis he whistled.

“Dang, if I wasn’t straight!” he joked.

“I know…I’m irresistible!”

Zayn came out of his room looking dapper in a white tee and black jacket. His hair was slicked back and the faint scent of his favorite cologne fluttered around them.

“Look at you, can I touch you?” Louis asked playfully, his pointer finger stretched out.

“Stop! Let’s go, boys!”

The party was being held in the gym, and it was decked out in rainbow flags that hung on the walls and around the long serving table, which was full of appetizers on one end, and wine boxes and plastic glasses on the other. A full assortment of brands of beer in cans filled two large barrels of ice. A large coffee can sat on the table with the suggestion of $3.00 donation per drink.

In the corner a DJ was set up with large speakers, Electronic Dance Music piping through them. The lighting in the gym was dimmed with colored lights coming from special spot lights in each corner. 

There were already a few dozen people milling about already drinking and picking at the food, some dancing. Several pounced on them when they entered.

“The party can now begin, Louis and his gang are here!” A young man in a rainbow tie dyed shirt came up to give him a hug, which Louis returned fiercely. The man kissed his cheek. “Did I ever tell you you’re my hero?”

“Adam, you’re already drunk, aren’t you?” Louis loudly joked.

“I love that,” Zayn said to Steve. “Louis and his gang.”

Adam Lambert, a handsome, dark haired senior, gave the other two each a hug. He was the president of Rainbow Regime. 

“Louis, I’d like for you to give the introduction speech, pretty please! Nothing fancy, but it would be fitting for the freshman to hear you.” When Louis rolled his eyes, Adam put his arm around his neck. “Pretty please?” 

“All right, all right,” Louis laughed, but he felt honored to be asked. 

“When it fills up, say in a half hour…I’ll give you the high sign and introduce you.”

They hit the appetizers and all chose a beer and chatted up their friends and acquaintances as more and more people joined the party. The atmosphere loosened up into carefree it’s-the-weekend spirit, and everybody began to dance with everybody, both same sex and hetero couples among them.

Many faces were unfamiliar, and Louis could tell they were freshman by the vibe they gave off…amazed they were in a place with so many people where it was totally OK to be themselves. He moved among them, introducing himself, welcoming them personally. The night, so far, was gearing up to be a success. 

The room was getting pretty full, and Louis was finishing his third beer, when Zayn stepped close to him and nudged his shoulder. “Don’t look now, but…look who just walked in.”

The way Zayn said it…Louis looked to the entrance doors and forced himself to maintain a neutral expression. There was Harry and another student from ACO who Louis didn’t recognize, and two girls from GCO, all wearing their affiliated jackets. Even Harry, and it was the first time Louis had seen him in the ACO jacket. 

The girl on Harry’s arm looked familiar, though it wasn’t the hopeful girl from his first-aid class. Of all the sorority girls on campus, she was one of the few who seemed genuine to Louis; what was she doing with HIM? What was Mr. Hetero doing at Rainbow Regime’s opener for freshman? They had never had a fraternity student at one of their parties. 

Adam slipped through the crowd to put his arm around Louis’s shoulder. “Isn’t it wonderful how we are so open and accepting of everyone?” He gave Louis a pat on the back, and Louis smiled weakly as he stared at the foursome who looked around and made their way to the refreshment table. A wake spread before them as folks opened up to make room for them. 

“I was just coming to let you know I’ll be introducing you shortly, and saw them come in. Louis, this is just an opportunity to show how much we mean what we say. I know you’ll do great!” 

Louis nodded as Adam made his way to the mic on the raised platform by the DJ, and tried to breathe through the sudden knot that turned in his insides. Did he mean it when he said everybody should be welcome? Or did he not now feel like the party had just been sullied? There was a noticeable shift in the air, and the spirit of freedom seemed to dim to a degree. Several couples stopped dancing.

Harry and his cohort’s stuffed bills into the money can and all got glasses of wine as Adam tapped the mic.

“Hello!” he called jovially. “So glad you all could make it tonight! Welcome to our second annual Rainbow Regime welcome party. This is for a good cause, and all proceeds go to help pay for the goodies and the rest given to charity.”

There was applause as everyone stopped what they were doing to face the platform.

“We have a special person here who has something to say to all the freshman…Mr. Louis Tomlinson, honorary member of the RR…give it up for Louis!” He stepped back and led the applause, and loud cheers and whistles went up as Louis took the mic and a deep breath.

“Thanks so much!” he smiled out in appreciation, avoiding the back of the room and trying to keep himself steady. He had an important message, and he was going to deliver.

“A few minutes ago I noticed several folks stopped dancing…I hope it wasn’t because your feet hurt already!”

Everyone laughed.

“We have a long night of fun and frolicking, so keep your dancing shoes on!”

More applause and laughter.

“I’m Louis Tomlinson, and there is no place I’d rather be tonight. I see a lot of new faces, and I’d like to collectively welcome any freshman here, whatever sexuality you identify with.”

Louder cheers and whistles went up, and a spirit of solidarity spread anew and filled the gymnasium.

“Those who may be experiencing a little fear about being who you are in the halls and classrooms of Norton College…this night is for you…to show how much support you have, to show this can be as safe a place as we make it.”

Louis looked over the crowd as they quieted in expectation, as they felt the meat of what he was going to say coming. Harry stood very still in the back, glass of wine in his hand, his green eyes focused intently on him. Louis kept moving his eyes and finally rested on the group of freshman that had gathered towards the front.

“When I came here as a freshman, I had just come out to everyone back home, and it had been such a wonderful, freeing experience and I wanted to continue that at Norton. Things were different here. Not everyone was so welcoming…there were those who…didn’t understand.”

Wide eyes stared back at him, and the room was incredibly quiet.

“But I wanted to be myself…I wanted to be who I was…and I am here today, a junior, still proud of who I am, and I have these friends and this big wide family who supported me to thank! We are all here to support you too! This party is meant to let you know that, and to encourage each and every one of you to never be ashamed of who you are…NEVER be ashamed of who you are!”

Thunderous applause and whistles went up then, hands clapping in the air, and even a few tears, it went on for several minutes. He was just going to end it there, when he felt Adam step up beside him. 

“Before Louis gets away from me, because he is too modest to tell you, I just want to say to those of you who don’t know…Louis went through SHIT his freshman year, but he paved the way for you…he stayed true to himself and now there are new rules on the books here at Norton because of HIM and Norton is a much safer place today. So…let’s give it up for this man!”

Louis’s face burned with embarrassment, but smiled and blew kisses to the applause.

“OK, enough of that, lets’ dance, people!” He shouted into the mic before slipping off the stage. 

He shimmied through the crowd as people gave him high fives, and made his way to the beer. He was going to get a little drunk, dance his ass off, and if Harry thought he and his friends were going to intimidate anyone, they had another think coming. They were no longer standing by the refreshment table, and Louis wouldn’t be surprised if they already left.

The DJ had appropriately chosen “Dance Dance Dance” for the next number, and Louis, beer in hand, moved to the center of the room to do just that. Everybody started dancing around him, and the room blossomed with joy. 

He quickly finished off his beer and felt the beginnings of a respectable buzz as he wiggled his hips in rhythm to the music, the colored lights flickering around him.

“Louis, that was an amazing little speech!” One of his friends who was dancing with him sang gleefully. “Put those ACO coats right in their place. I can’t believe they are actually dancing!”

“What!” Louis cried over the music.

His friend nodded to his left, and there was Harry styles on the dance floor with his supposed girlfriend, jimmying to the song, with a little smile on his face. A few people were casting glances their way. Louis looked back to his friend, who gave a little shrug. 

“Well, if they are here to spy, let’s give them a show.” He grabbed his friend’s hand and began to swing dance, and the floor opened up around them. He pulled out every move he knew, including the twirls, and ended the song by giving his partner a proper dip. Everyone cheered around him, and damn if he didn’t see Harry staring from the corner of his eye. If this ACO brat gang was going to keep this up, he was going to need more alcohol. 

After getting another beer, he made his way to a group of freshman and shimmied his hips as only he could do, and they all loosened up and heartily joined him. Soon it seemed the whole room was one big jovial, intoxicated dance party, and he knew the night was on its way to being an incredible success.

An hour later he had actually forgotten Harry and friends had even been there, when someone bumped into him. Turning, planning to give the person some playful shit, he found himself face to face with Harry. Beads of sweat clung to his chest and hairline. He had removed his jacket, and wore a short-sleeved paisley button up, reveling a set of tattoos. A large ship sat on his upper arm, and an anchor rested on his upper wrist. Louis hated tattoos.

“Oops,” Harry said with a little grin, and it was obvious he had had several glasses of wine. “Sorry.” 

The little shit actually started shaking his hips in front of him until the girl he was with pulled him through the crowd again, and Louis stood for a moment feeling as if he were in some very strange alternate universe. So they were still here, obviously getting drunk on their wine, and possibly not even remembering where they were.

The worst part was, the vision of Harry wiggling in front of him burned stubbornly in his brain. He wasn’t expecting this plan of attack. Fuck him…no, no, no…scratch that.

Zayn joined him with laughter on his lips. “That was classic…you dancing with Mr. Golden boots!”

“I was NOT dancing with him.”

“He seemed to be dancing with you!” he answered, cracking up again. “Does this mean your prank campaign is off?” he chuckled.

“Aucontrare, that is the worst thing they have ever done to me…I’m more determined than ever, make no mistake.”

Movement at the door caught his eye, and Harry’s friends, who still had their jackets on, were manhandling him towards the exit, the girl putting his jacket around his shoulders and smiling at those around them in a polite goodbye as they left.

“Guess you were too much for him!”

“Good riddance! Now, excuse me while I continue my own quest for drunkenness!” 

But try as he might, he couldn’t dance away the vision of Harry.

Noon the next day found Louis lying on the couch, ice bag on his head, wearing nothing but sweatpants and dark eye glasses. A half-drunken coffee cup sat on the side table. Zayn stood at the stove scrambling some eggs.

“How many do you want, lover boy?” he called.

“Doesn’t matter,” Louis mumbled without moving.

The door opened and Steve breezed in, looking obnoxiously chipper. He tossed the local morning paper on the coffee table.

“We made the news again! Local section.”

“Nice. I’ll have a look as soon as the aspirin kicks in.”

“Last night was the best kick-off party yet!”

Zayn finished scrambling up the eggs, and called to Louis as he and Steve sat down to the table, set with orange juice and a platter full of toast.

“Get it while it’s hot!”

Louis reluctantly pulled himself up, sliding the ice pack to the table, and stood stretching.

“I’m almost starting to feel human.” He scratched his tummy and reached for the local section of the paper, sitting down and opening it up. Zayn plopped a serving of steaming eggs on his plate.

“Thanks,” Louis said absently and searched for the article, sliding his sunglasses onto his head. He found it at the top of the second page.

“NORTON COLLEGE RAINBOW REGIME’S ANNUAL PARTY A SUCCESS” was the headline that grabbed him, causing a pleasant warmth to start in his belly. Then he read the sub heading: “As It Was Graced with the Presence of Des Style’s son, Harry.”

Steve, an expectant look on his face, ate his eggs and watched him read. 

“Harry Styles, son of 3M CEO Des Styles, made a benevolent move towards the LGBTQ+ community last night as he and his date, Kelly Jensen from the MCG sorority, attended the annual event. The goal of the event is to welcome the incoming freshman each year, to help create a safe place for LGBTQ+ students. We think this year was an incredible success, thanks in part to Harry and his friends from the ACO fraternity.” Inserted picture of Harry with Kelly, hands behind his back and leaning forward to the camera like a fool.

“We contacted Adam Lambert, president of the Rainbow Regime, and he was very grateful for the party’s success. “Our goal each year is also to raise money for a good cause,” he stated, emphasizing that this year they had raised more money than ever. No doubt this is due to the presence of Harry and his friends!” Inserted icon picture of Adam.

There were no pictures of the actual party.

Louis tossed the whole section on the floor and dug into his eggs. “Pass the OJ please.”

Steve handed him the bottle. “Don’t sweat it, love. The party was a success, and everybody had fun. It could have been a little awkward, but it wasn’t, and you are a big reason for that!”

“I don’t care about getting any glory, Steve. It just pisses me off that they made this about who has the most money. Yeah, they mentioned a safe place, but this article was just an excuse to suck up to the CEO of 3M. Harry can take his condescending charity and stick it to the moon.” 

“He didn’t seem condescending last night.” Zayn grinned slightly.

Louis glared at him. 

“To be fair, it’s the newspaper that’s sucking up, and that just figures, you know?” Steve added reasonably. “I’m sure they cherry picked from Adam’s comments which one to print, the bastards.”

Louis swallowed a big gulp of juice and wiped his mouth. 

“This is a good time to mention that I found out ACO is having a private costume party October 27th…that’s right…costume party. It’s being held at the country club, and all we have to do is figure out how to get our hands on some invites.”

“Dude!” Steve chuckled.

“Steve, since you are editor on the school paper, you have access to all the stuff that gets printed. Can you snoop around and see if you can get your hands on some invites to their party? All we need is three.”

“Ok, but it may take time. This has to be low key, man, I can’t get caught.”

“Are you serious about this?” Zayn asked.

“Hell, yeah! Picture it…we all show up disguised in costume, so nobody knows us…and we do horrible things, I don’t know yet, like spiking their punch with liquid Ex-Lax, Castor oil, or something equally bowel irritating. We stick around long enough to watch the shit show and make a hasty retreat before anyone figures out it’s us.”

“Agh!” Zayn dropped his fork and pushed his plate back. “Thanks a lot, bro!”

Louis giggled, scooping up his eggs with no problem.

Steve made a grimace. “I don’t know…I’m all for crashing their party, but the Ex-lax thing? That’s your hangover talking, Lou.”

“That would be FANTASTIC, who’s side are you on?” He sighed dramatically. “OK…maybe that’s a little too much…”

“How about,” Steve continued, “we all dress in drag and make moves on the guys, hahaha!”

Louis’s fork stopped in mid-air.

“Holy shit, Steve. That is the best idea I’ve ever heard!” 

“I think he was kidding,” Zayn looked between them. “Right, Steve?”

“I kinda was, but now that I think about it…”

“This is happening! This is brilliant!” Louis’s hangover suddenly vanished, and he literally wiggled in his chair. “That is exactly what we are going to do, boys! Fuck, I can’t wait to seduce one of those bastards and then watch their face when…”

“But we can’t let them know, or we’ll get our asses kicked.”

“You boys can do what you want, but I’ll risk an ass kicking to see their faces when they learn they fell for someone with a dick! And trust me, I make a very pretty woman!”

“The thing is, we can’t just go as women…we have to look like women in costumes, you KNOW?” Steve commented, again the voice of reason.

“Even better! There’s no way they will recognize us. We’ll all just have masks on of some sort.”

“So…we’re doing this?” Zayn asked.

“When did you become such a woos?” Louis threw him a big smile. “You’ll make a good-looking chic, Zayn.”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re looking forward to this too much?”

Louis poked his fork at him.

“Damn straight, I am!”

They all laughed.

On Monday in Business Ed class, Harry made his usual pass next to Louis’s desk, but this time glanced at him as he went by. Louis merely whistled to himself without looking up, but felt strangely inwardly pleased. As he sensed Harry seating himself, he slyly looked over at him. Harry wore another one of his own jackets, but this time his initials were done in rainbow coloring.

Louis blinked for a moment, and Harry looked over at him catching his eye. A smile that Louis interpreted to be pretty smug crossed his face, and Louis looked quickly away. Damn. 

The ACO brat was apparently taking this “I’m a friend of rainbows” thing to heart. For some reason that made him increasingly irritated, and he decided the best thing would be to strictly adhere to his “ignore him” policy until the October party. Just thinking about that made him feel better.

The sorority girls in his first aid class continued to entertain him.

As he and his lab partner practiced CPR on a dummy, the girl from the French class leaned closely to the other in a whisper, and they both covered their mouths in a giggle. The first one leaned over to him.

“Excuse me, Louis…is it true that Harry Styles was at your party?”

“Yup!” Louis answered without looking over at her. “You should have seen him dancing up all the guys.”

The reaction of all who heard him was priceless, even though to Louis’s knowledge there had been only one guy he had danced with.

Louis really wasn’t surprised when Steve brought home more school newspapers that had write-ups in the gossip column of Harry’s off-campus activities that included women, local disco techs, and booze. 

“Steve,” Louis asked him one Friday night when they were at one of Adam’s private house parties, and he had had more than one boiler-maker, “why the hell does that gossip columnist keep writing about Harry? Is there no one else in that damn fraternity interesting enough to write about?”

“He IS the richest dude on campus, but they do write about a lot of other people, too. I think you’re just focused on him.”

Louis made a horrible face like that was the dumbest thing he had ever heard. 

“I am NOT! I could care less about the jerk…it just makes you wonder where they get their information; like do they follow him around, or what?”

“That’s inside information, apparently.”

“Ha-ha…what, do you all sign NDAs or something?” Louis asked with a snort.

Steve just downed his drink and licked his lips, shrugging.

“You’ve GOT to be kidding me.”

Steve laughed and shook his head. “This is an amazing EDM number, bro! Come on, forget about it!”

Though Harry continued to walk past Louis’s seat to get to his desk, he didn’t look at him again, and Louis prided himself on truly treating Harry as though he didn’t exist. A few times Harry actually brushed against his shoulder, and Louis had to force himself not to look at the cherub face and emerald eyes; the effort it took was incredibly annoying. 

He couldn’t stand Harry…he was such a fraternity cliché…but for reasons he would never admit, Harry also unnerved the hell out of him. He focused on his mission to make a fools out of the ACO, and started marking the days off on his calendar at home.

“You are really into this Louis, Jesus!” Steve commented as he marked off another day.

“You have no idea.” Louis answered as he inspected his handiwork.

One evening in mid-October, Steve and Zayn were settled in the living room, each working on homework. Zayn had his feet on the coffee table, laptop in lap.

“Where’s Louis tonight?” Steve asked casually. “I have a present for him.”

“He came in earlier.” Zayn scratched the back of his head and reached for his cigarettes. “He’s probably scheming.” 

They heard Louis’s door open, and turned to see a slender, curvy female in tall, chunky heels exit his room.

“What do you want with Louis, boys?” She asked in a sultry voice.

She had long, blond hair that tickled her cheeks and was dressed in a blouse and short shorts. Swinging her long necklace in one hand, she stopped abruptly and placed the other seductively on a popped hip; both their jaws dropped.

“Oh my God!” Steve jumped up and whistled. “Who are you and what have you done with our pal Louis?” 

“And here I am, without any make up on!” Louis spoke in a falsetto that seemed all too real, then laughed heartily. “Well, what do you think?”

“Where’d you get THAT?” Zayn shoved his PC aside, got up, and lifted a few strands of hair. “It feels so real.”

Louis slapped at his hand playfully. “I splurged at a costume store called ‘Streamers,’ twenty miles down the road, and I suggest you two get a move on.”

“Shit, this just might work!”

“Just wait until I get my nylons and make up on.” 

“I think I’m in love,” Steve joked.

“Stop drooling, Christ on a cracker!” Zayn grinned and lit a cigarette. “Although I am getting pumped for this. Don’t believe me?” He asked them both. “I’ve already got my own outfit.”

“No shit!”

“Steve,” Louis began, “How’s it going with the invites?”

Steve was already digging in his notebook, and pulled out a manila envelope, wiggling his eyebrows at them. 

“I did not come by these easily. Ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies.”

A moment of awe passed among them as it dawned on them what they were looking at, and that this was something they actually were going to do…another classic prank was actually about to be implemented, come hell or high water.

Zayn put his cigarette down and raised a hand. “I think this is the moment, guys.”

They gathered in a small circle, each placing their hands on top of the other in true three-musketeer form, and chanted as they raised the mountain of hands up and down with increasing speed, “For better or worse, gonna come for your turf, three, two, one, whoo-yeah!” 

They ended with hands in the air and the knowledge that there was no turning back now. The air sizzled.

“This calls for some Stella Artois!” Steve grabbed three bottles from the fridge and passed them around, twisting the tops off for them.

“This is going down as the best, most daring prank yet.” Louis looked them both in the eye as they clunked the bottles together. “They won’t know what hit them!” 

*

Zayn held up the suspicious-looking stretchy piece of thick material, squinting at it in the light. “Are we really wearing these things?”

“Yeah, unless you want your dick to jiggle around and give us away before we’re ready,” Louis answered matter-of-factly. “If you can wear a bra with fake boobies, you should be able to wear that.”

“Speaking of…how are we planning on making our exit, again?”

“It’s all worked out. Steve got a rental car, which we are taking, and when the moment is right, he will leave and park in the turn around. You and I make like we are going to the restroom, and instead head for the door, moon everybody including our junk, and get the hell out of there.”

“Shit…” Zayn chuckled to himself. “We’re kind of insane. We better hope like hell nothing goes wrong or we’ll end up in the clink for public nudity.”

“Life is all about risks, Zayn, my boy. Besides, if I know anything about fraternity parties, nobody is going to be calling the cops for anything.”

“What if nobody finds me attractive?”

“Please!” Louis squeezed his freshly-shaved cheeks. “With that face? Anyway, we’re going at least a couple hours late…everyone will be drunk.”

“Your faith in me is so touching.”

They each moved to their rooms to get ready, and Zayn paused by his door. 

“Who are you planning on seducing?”

Louis shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ll play it by ear.”

“You’re going to go for Harry, aren’t you?”

Louis’s shoulders sagged with frustration. “Pft! Why would I do that? If you want him, you can have him!” He spat as he marched to his room.

Zayn slowly grinned at his retreating back. 

 

They stood looking in the wide mirror that hung over the couch admiring their handiwork.

“Have you ever seen three hotter sorority chicks anywhere?” Louis stated with pride.

Steve had reluctantly gone completely clean-shaven for the occasion, and had cleverly combined his disguise to dress as a geisha girl. He wore a black wig with an elaborate high bun that sat on top of his head, and a red, gown decorated in Chinese symbols that clung to his now hour-glass figure. His makeup was done to perfection, with wet, red lips, and he wore an eye mask that glittered with sequins. 

“Steve…that is a brilliant idea.” Zayn practiced his “girl” voice. He himself wore a wavy, dark wig with a strong auburn tint, and his makeup gave him a flawless complexion. He had decided to go as a “gene” so that he could cover his legs with the proverbial gene pants. He adjusted his pink top with the flowing sleeves and fake boobs. “Is it wrong that I’m turning myself on?”

Louis flipped his blond hair. “If I wasn’t a straight girl, you’d be turning me on too!”

“I think we are all hot,” Steve said in his regular voice, and they all giggled at the absurdity of it. “But Louis…you are going to have your pick of frat men. Honestly, you really are fucking gorgeous.”

“Why Steve…you are making me blush!”

In addition to his wig, Louis wore a mini skirt that came down to a few inches below his ample bum. His top was a white, sleeveless chiffon with ruffles down a V-neck, and tastefully modest breasts. A little purse was slung over his shoulder, and he wore high heels over nude nylons, and how was it possible that a guy had such attractive legs? All he had for a “costume” was a colorful, mardi-gras mask that covered his upper face. 

Steve passed out the invites, which he had rolled up and tied with gold ribbon. 

“Remember… the longer we are in there, the more likely it is for something to go wrong. As soon as we all get really hit on, I’ll go around asking to be joined in the powder room. I’ll leave to bring the car around and honk, then you guys do your thing and get out of there.”

“Yes, master!” Zayn the gene mocked.

Louis puckered his lips up looking in the mirror, “Take your time with the seducing, boys. I want to milk this for all it’s worth!” 

The party was going full steam inside as the trio of would-be-women stood at the doorstep. Music pounded loudly so that the whole building felt like it was shaking. Louis’s heart beat rapidly and he felt all a tingle, normal before doing a stunt, but there was an added quality this time; he took a breath to steady himself.

“Well…are we going in, or aren’t we?” Zayn asked.

In answer, Louis opened the door and swayed inside, the other two following behind. The entryway was large, pristine, and decorated in orange and black, and a bouncer sat by the inner door taking invitations.

“Welcome!” He said, smiling at them appreciatively.

Louis winked at him, and they all collectively gained more courage as they handed him the invitations and stepped inside.

The décor dripped with high-ceiling-ed, glass chandelier-ed, fancy money, but the atmosphere screamed total debauchery. The floor was a complete mess, littered with smashed plastic cups and remnants of discarded edibles. Students stumbled in and out of a side room that reeked of Nicotine and Marijuana smoke. A full open bar stood against the wall to the right, and music blared loudly from speakers in every corner. A table with every fancy edible imaginable was spread to the left, much of it already picked over. Several heads turned in their direction.

“Moment of truth,” Steve whispered, and they all moved as one to the bar for some liquid courage, moving their hips to the music. Many questioning but approving eyes followed them.

The bartender wasn’t a student, but attended to them quickly. 

“What would you lovely ladies like to start with?”

It was all Louis could do to keep from bursting out in laughter.

“I’d love a Tom Collins, thank you!” He smiled voluptuously.

“Coming right up!” 

Louis turned and leaned seductively against the rail, looking out over the dance floor. There was a large group of already half-trashed students flailing to the music, and any attempt to figure out “who was with who” was completely futile. They all had varying levels of costumes on, some ornate, some with only a Zorro-type mask, and many that had obviously ditched their outfits in favor of comfort. 

A tall figure in a black cape weaved in and out of the dancing couples, occasionally stopping to throw an arm around a frat boy or a sorority gal; he gripped the matte fabric and twirled as he danced, alternately revealing a shiny, shimmery, lining…a lining in rainbow-colored silk. The person in the cape was Harry, his face in a drunken glow, his wavy hair unruly. What. The. Hell.

The bartender handed him his drink, and he dug politely in his purse for an adequate tip.

“Time to mingle,” he said to the other two, and slid out onto the dance floor. 

As he swung his hips and batted his eyes at several boys who grinned appreciatively at him, he heard bits of drunken conversation shouted over the music.

“Can you believe his inebriated, rich ass, dancing with literally anybody?”

“Like we all aren’t shit-faced right now!”

“I’ll say one thing for him, his old man sure is generous.”

Testing his female wiles, Louis brushed the obnoxious brat’s shoulder softly with his hand as he moved around him.

“Hey, wait a minute, beautiful!” He heard him say, and felt a hand on his wrist. “I don’t think I’ve met you before. What’s the name, doll?”

Louis had no intention of seducing this one. He was just too boorish.

“This is a costume party, isn’t it?” He asked coyly. “I don’t reveal myself that easily.”

He felt himself being dragged to the middle of the floor.

“That’s all right, let’s dance!” 

Fruitlessly attempting to pull his arm away as delicately as he could, Louis tried to maintain a sense of humor. “My, I didn’t know you ACO boys were so demanding!”

He suddenly felt a tall presence beside him.

“Brad, that is no way to treat a young lady. Where are your manners?”

Louis felt himself tense up, and looked to find Harry, rainbow cape and all, like some knight in shining armor. There was drunken humor in his voice, but also a serious note.

Louis decided to turn on the charm.

“Hi!” He said with batted eyes.

“Hello!”

“Come on, Harry, I’m just having some fun. Like you aren’t hanging on to everything with legs.”

“I always ask permission!” He answered.

Louis, pulling out every drama lesson he’d ever had and playing his role, blinked up at Harry with a shy, flirtatious smile. “Thank you so much,” He fluffed his hair, and looked him up and down, resting his eyes on the inside of his damn cape. 

“You are so welcome,” Harry answered politely, bowing, his half unbuttoned black see-through shirt revealing a large butterfly tattoo. He straightened and smiled. “I hope you and your friends have a good time.”

And with that, he buggered off to continue dancing, leaving Louis staring after him. He would be inwardly fuming that Harry hadn’t nibbled in the slightest if it hadn’t been for the rainbow-colored lining of his cape…which, again, what the hell? 

He downed the rest of his Tom Collins and decided he needed to dance off some steam, but first he was going to get another drink. He saw Zayn dancing with a handsome frat boy, and if Louis didn’t know better he would swear he was watching a loved up couple. In another direction he spotted Steve in a similar situation, and his pride was severely wounded. Perhaps he should have just taken up with Mr. Rude? 

No. His female persona wasn’t going to lower her standards and be that easy!

Drink in hand, he swished on his heels to the center of the dance floor and just started dancing. The drink was strong, and he found himself becoming thankfully buzzed, and pulled out all his classic dance moves. Soon he had a handsome blond frat boy next to him, and his insides cheered as he cozied up to the young man, determining that this would be the one he would ultimately humiliate. 

He tried to forget Harry and the rainbow cape; despite what he had said to Zayn, he had wanted it to be Harry he pranked, but the little shit had not cooperated in the slightest. Well, there were plenty of other frat brats in the sea.

The blond in front of him placed his hands low around his waist, leering at him, and Louis decided to just go with it. After a few grope-filled turns, he glanced around half expecting to feel Steve’s nudge any moment. 

Instead he saw Harry making his way through the crowd right for them. His green eyes glowed with something akin to intense humor, and Louis felt a chill of goose bumps down his spine.

“Jesus, here comes Harry. Ignore that guy,” His date said in his ear. “He may be the rich son of Des Styles, but he’s one odd duck.”

“What do you mean?” Louis said with a flirtatiousness he no longer felt.

“Just look at his fucking cape!”

Then Harry was next to him. “Hello, again.” 

Louis’s heart started pounding nervously as he answered with a “Hello!”

“Not to be rude, but may I cut in?” He asked Louis with the gallantry of a thousand knights.

“Come on, Mr. Rainbow cape, this gal is with me!” He faced off with harry, and Louis slipped between them, a hand on each chest.

“Boys, boys, no fighting over me, please!”

Harry’s lips rumpled as if trying to suppress a huge smile.

“I DO owe this one a dance, as he ever so kindly saved me a moment ago.” Louis spoke kindly to his blond dance partner. “Don’t go away!”

Louis took Harry’s offered arm, and they moved together to an open area. Perhaps he was going to get his opportunity after all. He prepared to turn on all the feminine wiles he could muster. 

As the music conveniently turned to a slower number, he felt one of Harry’s arms slip around his waist, the other folding around his hand. He looked up to find lips smiling down on him, emerald twinkles boring into his eyes.

“I hope I’m not being too presumptuous.” He spoke politely, but there was smoke behind his words, and to his horror, Louis felt himself respond. Just who was seducing who here? OK, time to wrap this shit up and get the hell out.

“And here I thought you weren’t interested.” Louis spoke coyly, batting his eyes.

“I didn’t recognize you at first,” Harry answered, taking the lead and moving him across the floor. “Forgive me.”

“Recognize me?” Louis nearly forgot to use his feminine voice, and his heart nearly stopped. Harry’s warm, strong hand burned through his blouse.

“Yes!” Harry smiled wickedly into his eyes. “You are with the Mega Chi Gamma sorority, are you not?”

Louis took a deep relieved breath. “Of course!” He assumed they all were supposed to be from Mega Chi Gamma “I just don’t remember meeting you before,” he answered in what he hoped was a coy, flirtatious voice.

Harry watched him as he licked his lips, and Louis felt his hand tighten and move across his waist. He shivered involuntarily, and suddenly this felt like the worst idea he had ever had.

“That’s a shame,” Harry moved his face close and locked eyes with him. “I thought for sure you were in my Business Ed class.”

Louis wracked his brain trying to think of the girls in his class, but was having a hard time just breathing, unable to pull his eyes from Harry’s. He was quickly losing control of the situation. A little alarm rang in the back of his brain.

“Well…” he finally leaned forward and whispered in Harry’s ear, “I guess you thought wrong.”

At that, Harry stepped closer so they were almost touching as they swayed to the music, and his thighs occasionally brushed against his legs. “Amazing how wrong we can be about a lot of things, isn’t it?”

He spoke with intense sincerity, and Louis swore he could sense his heart beating. It seemed a strange thing for him to say. This was working better than he had ever intended, and it needed to end. Where was Steve? Perhaps he should move this along….for the sake of the prank.

He rested his head on Harry’s chest and heard his wild heartbeat. Damn. 

“Why do you always wear those jackets with your initials on them?” The question slipped out before he could stop himself. Why would his female persona know he did that if she had never met him? Why had he, Louis Tomlinson, asked it? Yikes.

Harry simply kept dancing, pulled him closer, and answered quietly. “My mother made them for me. She wants me to always remember who I am.”

Harry’s answer was completely unexpected, and shook him all the way down to his high-heeled toes. Why did this feel like something he hadn’t shared with anyone else? Just who are you Harry? 

This was supposed to be a prank inspired by the desire to see the obnoxious fraternity brats squirm, but suddenly it felt like they were having a real conversation…and

He pulled back and found himself locking eyes with him, Harry’s face mere inches away. He opened his mouth and Louis couldn’t resist looking down at his ridiculously sensual lips. Something he had resisted doing all year. This prank was deteriorating into something he no longer had control over. Fuck. He desperately tried to control his breathing, which was threatening to give him away completely. He slowly brought his gaze back to Harry’s eyes….big mistake. 

The green eyes suddenly smoldered, and he pulled Louis into his body. Christ, thank God for the dick strap. Pretty soon that wasn’t going to be enough. Where the fuck was Steve?

Then Harry’s lips were on his ear, and he spoke with an almost ragged desperation.

“Do you think I don’t know who you really are?”

Louis froze, and he was sure Harry could feel his own heart beating.

“Why, whatever do you mean?” He tried to recover and play his part, but Harry took him by the chin and tilted it to look deep into his eyes and slipped his hand down his waist until it was firm on his back end.

“I’d know those blue eyes and this amazing bum anywhere.”

Louis opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Harry stared back with nothing but unabashed desire, and a slow grin spread on his face…that same, slightly smug grin he had seem several times in class. Louis’s groin was suddenly in intense pain, and it was at that moment the geisha girl…aka Steve…chose to approach him.

“Sorry to interrupt…but we need to have a chat in the powder room.”

Fuck.

Suddenly Steve disappeared and Zayn was moving him towards the restroom, and everything happened so fast Louis would swear later that he had lost his mind for a moment.

When Steve honked the horn, Louis grabbed Zayn and practically yanked him off his feet to get him out the door before he could follow through with their plans. Amidst Zayn’s protests, he pushed him to the car and hissed, “Just get in, you fucker!” Before hopping in the front.

When all the doors were closed, Steve peeled out, but he had expected to see laughter, not angry confusion.

“What the actual FUCK did you do THAT for?” Zayn yelled from the backseat.

“Because I’ve got a HARD ON, you idiot!” Louis yelled back angrily, with immediate regret. 

There was a moment of silence.

“I take it things didn’t go according to plan?” Steve asked, trying not to laugh in spite of the fact something had gone wrong. He looked in the rear-view mirror, but saw no one chasing them.

Zayn’s anger turned to mirth, and he lay in the back seat with side-splitting laughter. 

“It’s not funny!” Louis screeched over his shoulder, sitting stiffly in the front seat looking and sounding for all the world like an angry, affronted princess with a sore throat.

“The hell it’s not!” Zayn hooted. “This is better than the original plan!”

And that’s when Louis really got angry.

His hard on had been a good excuse. In reality, in the heat of his conversation with Harry, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to follow through with the plan and make him the “laughingstock” of the fraternity...especially since he had apparently figured out who he was.

Instead, he had become the butt of his own joke. He realized his mistake in admitting it a fraction too late. He was the one who had been seduced, and he was the one being laughed at. 

Steve glanced at him, saw that he was clearly so angry he could almost cry, and looked back at Zayn who still giggled in the back seat.

“Zayn,” he called back to him, “shut UP already!”

That only resulted in another loud outburst of laughter, and Steve decided the best course of action was to get back home as soon as possible.

He parked in the back and they all took off their wigs and shoved them in a bag as planned, then marched quickly to the front door, unlocking it quickly. Once they were safely inside, Zayn tried mollifying Louis. 

“Look, Lou, you have to admit…”

Louis turned on him angrily. “You are dead to me, Malik!” With that he stormed into his room and slammed the door.

Steve turned to him, hands on his hips. “Since when did our plan become ‘let’s humiliate our brother Louis’?”

Zayn was losing his sense of humor. “Probably since he sabotaged everything that we all risked our asses for! I get on board at his insistence, and then he robs me of the punch line!”

“So what happened?”

Zayn lifted his arms in a helpless gesture. “Don’t ask me. I was all set for operation moon off, and Louis grabbed me before I had a chance, and shoved me out the door to the car.”

Steve blinked at him. “This was his baby…this was something he’s been marking off on his fucking calendar for weeks. He didn’t change his mind at the last minute lightly.”

“I mean, you saw what went down. Louis was totally working it, Harry was falling for it hook line and sinker. Everything was going perfectly. I don’t get why a boner should “humiliate” him…”

“I don’t know Zayn, maybe your statement about his embarrassment being the better plan, for SOME strange reason, didn’t set right with him.”

Zayn sat dejectedly on the couch and rubbed his made-up face with his hands. “I didn’t mean it like THAT. Come on…I honestly expected him to laugh along with me.”

“Well, give him some time to cool off. You can explain that to him when he comes out of his room. I’m getting out of this ridiculous outfit.” 

*

The only light in Louis’s room was the light that the moon gave off as it slipped its rays through his window and caressed his cheeks. Having stripped and scrubbed himself from head to toe, he lay in bed on his side with his phone to his ear, listening to his mother’s voice on the other end. The time difference allowed for the fact she was still up, and it was soothing just talking about benign things like his school work and classes.

“Are you all right, Louis?” She asked as their conversation wound down.

“…Yeah, mom, I’m fine. Kiss the girls for me? Tell them I miss them?”

“I’ll do that…are you sure everything is OK? You sound…funny. Is it…boy trouble?”

Louis chuckled in spite of himself.

“Something like that, but it’s nothing, really. I’ll try to get home for thanksgiving.”

“We all miss you. We are very proud of you. Stay true to who you are, sweetie, and I’m talking about your wonderful heart.”

“I love you mom.”

He lay awake for quite a while thinking about what she had said. So he had a wonderful heart. Was it his wonderful heart that caused him to abort their mission? Harry had said “My mother made these for me so I wouldn’t forget who I am.” He couldn’t get that statement out of his head, and whatever games were being played, that statement had rung true. That’s why he hadn’t been able to go ahead with the plan.

Louis Tomlinson, rainbow hero, secret terror of the ACO fraternity brothers…in the end, just a big sap. No. He hadn’t chickened out; he just had an incurable, wonderful heart. Sigh.

Harry may have been playing games with him, but that was on Harry, not himself. He fell asleep with no regrets.

He woke the next day to sunshine steaming through his window, and slowly opened his eyes, stretched his arms sleepily over his head, and glanced at his bedside clock to see that it was already 10:00am. 

After using the bathroom and brushing the dry sweaters off his teeth, he threw on a pair of sweats and strolled out to the living room to find Zayn rolling a joint. 

He looked up with a small smile as Louis plopped on the overstuffed chair near him and said, “I was waiting for you.” He lit the end, taking a big inhale and passing it to Louis.

“Nice breakfast.” Louis reached for it, took a hit off of it, and handing it back. He held it in as long as could before exhaling, and enjoyed the immediate buzz that followed.

“Look,” Zayn began, “I’m really sorry about last night, Tommo.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He sighed and ran a hand across his rumpled hair. “I know this is completely unlike me, but I totally over reacted.”

They looked at each other and started giggling, and Zayn knew everything would be ok between them. 

“Is Steve returning the rental car?”

Zayn nodded before exhaling another hit, watching Louis lounge languidly across the chair.

“Did you talk to your mom last night?” 

Louis squinted at him with a smile. “How did you know?”

“You have that…” He twirled his hand in the air. “Mom glow about you.”

Louis laughed at that. “Nice to know I’m so transparent.”

Zayn’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Either that or you’ve been jacking off.”

“Agh!” Louis sat up with the worst expression on his face. “Malik, you are one sick fuck!”

He wasn’t angry though, and giggled as he slapped Zayn on the side of the head and reached for the joint.

They heard Steve on the steps before he came through the door and stood looking between them before shutting it and slipping off his shoes.

“So it’s safe to enter?”

Louis pointed to the newspaper under his arm. “You can come in, but stop bringing home the damn paper.”

“Nothing exciting today. Which I thought was pretty nice, considering the alternative.” He tossed it on the coffee table.

“Yeah, like our bare asses on the front page, you mean?” Louis asked them innocently. “You can thank me and my wonderful heart for avoiding that!”

Steve, who quickly deducted that all was well, glanced at Zayn, who said to him, “He talked to his mother last night.”

“Oh!” Steve nodded and hung up his jacket. “Got it!” 

“There IS something I need to talk to you two about.” Louis said carefully, motioning for Steve to sit and pulling a heel up on the chair.

“About last night?”

Louis took a deep breath. “Yeah.”

Steve sat, and both he and Zayn looked at him expectantly.

Louis hesitated before spilling it. “Harry knew who I was.”

Complete silence followed.

“Say what?” Zayn finally responded.

“Harry knows it was me, and common sense says he probably figures my friends were in drag also. It’s only fair to warn you.”

“No way, that makes no sense, are you sure?” Zayn was on the verge of panic, though Steve had yet to respond.

“He literally SAID, ‘Do you think I don’t know who you really are’ and gave me this very knowing look.”

“Shit, he could at this very moment be blabbing, and we have no ammo against them.”

Steve finally stood up and showed them both his hands. “Just hold on a minute! Let’s not panic. First of all, why would they blab that they let in three impostors dressed in drag! Honestly, that would just make them look like schmucks. Second of all, they have no proof it was us. Our word against theirs.”

Zayn interrupted. “Des Styles’ SON’s word against ours.”

Steve glared at him, then turned to Louis. “Most importantly, did Harry actually call you by your name? As in ‘I know you are Louis Tomlinson?”

Louis blinked between them. “Well…not in so many words…”

“There you have it! He was probably talking out of his drunk ass!”

Louis lifted his chin, licked his lips, and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “He DID say it was because he would know my blue eyes and amazing bum anywhere…”

They both stared holes into him, Zayn rubbing his upper lip, and Louis shrugged at them. 

“Those were his exact words. I mean…” He pinched his lips and flipped his hand in the air. “Who else fits that description but me?”

“Oh Jesus,” Steve said to himself and sat back down, grabbed for the paraphernalia, and started to roll his own joint.

“Steve, you look very weird without your beard.”

“Louis,” Zayn began, hitting him in the leg. “If Harry knew it was you, why was he all over you like white on rice? Cause from where I was standing, he was this close to shagging you. Steve says to me, ‘Louis’s got it in the bag, time to blow this pop stand!’ Steve, back me up on this.”

Steve started to respond, but Louis cut him off. “Look, he knew I was playing him, and he came back at me with his own joke. That’s why I was so pissed last night.”

Steve merely lit the joint and took a hit. “Whatever you say.” He responded while holding in as much smoke as he could.

Zayn’s eyebrows knotted together, thinking, then he shook his head. “I’m still not sure I get it, but let’s not go there again!”

Steve exhaled and flicked his lighter. “So…before this little pow-wow is over, let’s reiterate…we STILL aren’t sure Harry knows anything, despite Louis having an amazing bum. Maybe he doesn’t know a thing…maybe Harry just likes a nice ass. If you ask me, he was enjoying himself.”

Louis felt his face flame beet red, and Steve shrugged at him before continuing. 

“This is what I’d like to think, because it lets us off the hook for sure.”

Steve studied him, but Louis bit his lip and said nothing.

“On the other hand,” Steve looked between them both, “if we get to school on Monday and everybody’s buzzing about Louis’s drag performance, we’ll know we’ve been truly compromised, and heads up fellas.” 

He proceeded to smoke the rest of the joint like he really wasn’t concerned about it at all.

“So he’s in class with you,” Zayn picked up where Steve left off. “See if you can pick up any vibes if he really has a clue or not.”

“All right, fine.”

He looked back at Steve, who was watching him with a small smile.

The truth was, Louis hadn’t told them everything, hadn’t told them the real reason he had aborted the mission, hadn’t told them all the reasons he believed Harry absolutely knew. Now a flicker of doubt passed through him; it’s possible Harry had just been really drunk, and the idea disappointed him more than he cared to admit.

Sunday they drew straws, and Steve was chosen to get the Sunday paper, but there was still zilch in the local community section about the fraternity party.

“That’s just weird….there’s usually something, even a blurb.”

“Well…I’m sure there will be something in the school paper come Friday, but by then we should know if our jig is up.”

“Who cares though, really…if our covers are blown, the only ones who look like idiots are them, and we didn’t even have to flash ourselves.” 

“The thing is, they will know it’s us and may try to get back at us; especially Louis. RR’s hard-earned peace may be at stake.”

That was a depressing thought.

They decided to lay low, watch videos, eat junk, and what the hell, smoke some more weed, and not worry about it until Monday.

Louis’s antenna were up as he breezed to his first class the next day, but there was nothing in anybody’s attitude towards him that threw up any red flags. The halls were noticeably void of fraternity brats, so they most likely were all still nursing hangovers. He decided he could relax, until he got to his Business Ed class.

Harry, as usual, wasn’t there when he arrived, and he settled in his seat hoping he would stay away, but…no, he wasn’t going to be that lucky.

He entered the room as he always did, looking like some fucking model out of Gucci, and Louis hated himself for even thinking it. Memories of the costume party stormed his brain, and he felt a flush creep up his cheeks. 

As Harry made his way up the stairs to pass his desk, he tensed and tried to ignore the nerves that fluttered in his stomach. Damn him. He opened his notebook and pretended to study it, like nothing happening here, nothing to look at here; then Harry dropped his pencil.

He had just come abreast with him, and dropped his fucking pencil…under his desk…right. Kneeling down to retrieve it, reaching between Louis’s shoes, he took his time. As he stood up, he whispered in his ear, “Hello gorgeous.” He then disappeared to his seat and open his notebook like nothing unusual at all had happened.

Before he could stop himself, Louis glanced at him quickly to see the smallest smug smile fixed beneath eyes so wide and innocent nobody could have accused him of a thing.

Electric jolts moved through Louis and he felt his hands start to tremble.

So he knew. Louis had KNOWN that he knew, and now Harry WANTED Louis to know that he knew. And there he sat, so smug and proud of himself. Harry Styles, hetero poster boy of the ACO, had knowingly had his hands all over his ass, and Louis had liked it. He could only hope that his dick strap had done its job. This might be the worst day of his life.

He wanted to leave class so badly, but he wasn’t going to give Harry the satisfaction. He could feel his face burn, and he slumped slightly in his seat as the instructor began his monotone droll. He didn’t hear a word, and when the class was over, he got up quickly and marched out of the room, out the main doors, and straight home.

He was glad nobody was there. Passing the stereo system, he punched the CD on button and cranked the volume. Steve’s EDM flooded the house. Next he turned the TV on, went to the fridge and opened a Stella Artois, twisting the top off and dramatically tossing the cap to the floor. A pack of Zayn’s cigarettes were on the coffee table, and he grabbed them, along with an ashtray, and settled in the big chair. 

He was going to drink and chain smoke until his groin settled down or he choked himself; there was no way he was going to jack off to a Harry-induced boner. Never in his life had he ever had sex fantasies about a heterosexual guy. He was never going to forgive Harry for this.

He turned his thoughts to Zayn and Steve. Should he even tell them the truth about Harry knowing? Memories of Zayn’s laughter came back to him, and no, he decided they didn’t need to know. Let them sweat. Steve didn’t seem worried anyway. If Harry decided to blab, he could always play dumb.

What was Harry’s angle, anyway? Was he going to use this against him somehow? Because he certainly could if he chose that route. Having decided he would never tell anyone Harry had known who he was, he realized it could be a classic tool for blackmail.

His dark, rumbling thoughts were interrupted by the “my mother makes these for me so I won’t forget who I am” and the “amazing how wrong we can be about a lot of things, isn’t it?” comments. They had really seemed to come from somewhere deep, and he was left with nothing but confusion again.

Later that night, they had another pow-wow. Zayn wasted no time grilling Louis.

“So, was Harry in your class today? Most of the frat brats weren’t in any of mine.”

“Yea,” he answered lazily, pulling apart of piece of cheese pepperoni pizza they had ordered. “He was there.”

“Well?” He pressed, when Louis simply started eating. Louis shrugged in response.

“All I heard,” Steve said, sounding bored, “was how everyone got totally smashed. If anyone remembers anything, they’ll most likely chock it up to hallucinations. The dude I hit up passed me in the hall, and he didn’t have a damn clue…pretty funny, actually.”

“Well, that’s that, I guess.” Zayn sounded relieved. 

Louis licked his fingers without comment, but made a mental note that Harry obviously was not blabbing…not yet.

“On the OTHER hand,” Steve continued, “tomorrow will be a better gauge, when everyone is back from the dead.”

Louis shook his fringe and narrowed his eyes at him.

“You think the school paper will have a write up?”

“Oh yeah. They always do.”

“Hmmm…interesting.”

Tuesday merely brought loud chortling braggadocios rumors of how everyone got wasted, and how someone had really laced the weed with something, some chicks crashed their party, and half the fraternity lost their underwear, and oh, did everyone remember seeing Harry Styles flying about in his rainbow cape? That was hilarious, wasn’t it? Too bad Rainbow Regime missed out on the joke. Didn’t anyone get a picture? 

By the end of the day, Louis felt very stupid and very tired, and really wished he had another chance at the party. He fantasized about what the talk would have been like today had they gone through with operation dick off. 

He was finished trying to figure Harry out. New-slate November, that’s what he was going to call the next month. It would be nice if he could find someone on his own side of the fence to get laid with.  
At any rate, he wasn’t going to let Harry’s presence in Business Ed get to him anymore.

Of course when he got to class on Wednesday, for the first time all year, Harry was already there. That was unexpected, so he couldn’t help but notice him, and he paused. Several fraternity brothers were chatting around him, one of them poking him in the ribs, but he totally ignored them, instead studying his notes with a furrowed brow. 

He glanced up and saw Louis standing there, and Louis braced himself for the smug grin that invariably came; instead he searched him with an odd stare, a touch of sadness at the corners. 

Louis blinked in confusion and moved to find his seat, and Harry quickly went back to his notes.

One day I’m gorgeous, the next I’m checking to see if I grew horns overnight, Louis thought to himself, as he found his seat. New-slate November was already ruined, because now he wondered why Harry looked so….he didn’t know what it was, but…how is it that harry looked the way he himself was feeling?

In his first aid class the next day, he wondered if he would hear anything from the “gossip girls,” and as he and his lab partner practiced splinting a broken bone, he wasn’t disappointed. 

“I guess you can forget about your Harry Styles fantasy.”

“Those are just ridiculous rumors.”

“I have it on good authority from someone who was THERE that he was all over that mystery girl.”

Louis hand slipped and the splint went flying.

“Harry just likes to flirt. Besides, nobody I’ve talked to recognized any of them. Everybody’s saying they’re probably from a different sorority, and crashed the party just to see him.”

Louis concentrated on retrieving the splint and wrapping the dressing, but his insides were screaming.

Oh my God, they really fooled everyone…well, everyone but Harry, and apparently he wasn’t talking. Little did those girls know that “mystery girl” was just a few feet away from them, and the thought was pretty delicious. 

This was a story he couldn’t wait to share with his roommates, and they all laughed until tears fell.

“That is priceless!” Zayn howled as he held his stomach.

“This is turning out to be a great prank after all!” Louis smugly tossed kernels of popcorn in the air, catching them with his mouth. “I feel perfectly vindicated!”

Steve reclined back on the couch, hands folded behind his head, and grinned wickedly at Louis.

“You know…if we had any guts, we’d go to another party.”

“What?” Zayn sat up, and Louis let his popcorn fall.

“We wouldn’t even need invites. They’d usher us right in, and then at just the right moment, we all take our wigs off. Fuck, that would be so righteous!”

He put his bare feet on the coffee table, smirking at Louis’s open mouth.

“Ahmmm…no, bad idea,” Louis responded immediately. “Let’s just leave well enough alone.”

“Calm down, lover boy, I was totally kidding this time.” Steve giggled and winked at him as he grabbed a handful of popcorn.

“Thank God!” Zayn plopped back down on the floor.

Louis narrowed his eyes at Steve. “So, I’m assuming ‘Norton Life’ has tomorrow’s issue ready to go. What are they going to say about the party? Any mystery girl references?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see like everyone else!” There was humor in Steve’s eyes, and suddenly Louis knew he wasn’t going to get much sleep.

Fuck. For the first time all year, Louis skipped Business Ed.

He had grabbed a paper the first chance he got, and though there wasn’t anything THAT unusual being buzzed about in the halls, he knew people were referencing the article about the party and being all frat brat about it. Having chosen to go home for his lunch to read it, he was now happy he had wisely made that decision.

The picture, of course, was one before the party had actually started, where the still-sober student leaders of ACO were smiling into the camera by the amazing spread of appetizers.

He had skimmed over the predictable, lead-up details of who, what, when, and why, and then actually read this:

“I’m sure people are already talking about one of the more interesting dramas from this year’s party. Three unidentified sorority girls took our boys by storm, then disappeared into the night without a trace. While they are assumed at this point to be crashers from a neighboring sorority, (let’s face it, this is just the sort of thing we expected when harry Styles joined the roster!) they sure spiced up the party! As a matter of fact, one of them left a very lasting impression on our Harry! The campus Casanova has apparently been bitten by the love bug since he was seen dancing with the mysterious blond beauty, and is rumored to be determined to find out where she came from. A source close to the paper quotes Harry as saying, “She left like Cinderella at the ball, but alas, I don’t even have a shoe.” So, if you are reading this Cinderella, please come put Harry out of his misery!”

A “source.” A bloody “source.” Well, he said it, Louis was positive the little shit had said it. 

His phone buzzed with a text from Steve.

“Where R U? Have you read the article, Cinderella? : ) Looks like we R in the clear!!!”

While it put a definite lid on any possible exposure of them, he was sure Harry had said it just to fuck with him. It was a complete lie, but only Harry and Louis knew that. 

“Hello gorgeous,” Harry had whispered to him in class, and he could still feel his breath on his ear.

Louis ignored the little voice deep, deep down inside of him that said, “I think he is into you.” The voice screamed and clawed to get out, but Louis shoved it down in the recesses of his brain, silencing it in masking tape.

By the time his roommates got home, he was ready to celebrate the fact that they had truly fooled everyone, even though he had to endure Cinderella jokes and digs, and he was very thankful he hadn’t told them that Harry was in on their little joke.

And that thought got him thinking…one could actually say that it was Louis, Zayn, Steve, and…Harry, against the whole student body.

He needed to talk…he obviously couldn’t talk to his roommates...or ANYBODY, really; then he got an idea.

He looked for the name on his speed dial, and sent a text.

“Adam, R U busy tonight? I really need to talk to someone.”

Loud music thundered around them as Adam and Louis leaned over their drinks at a corner of “The 90s” gay bar. The décor was brash and outlandish and around the corner was a large dance floor, where dozens of gay and several hetero couples wiggled together underneath colored strobe lighting.

“Thanks for driving,” Louis said to him, taking a big gulp. “And skipping the house party tonight.” 

It had taken a half hour to get to their destination, but Louis had chosen to engage in safe subjects, not sure what he was going to say, or if he could actually say anything at all. Most of the students from RR were at the house party, and it felt good to just hang out someplace neutral where nobody knew them.

 

“No problem at all! I love The 90s!” Adam spoke cheerfully, and sipped on his 100% agave Tequila margarita, then stirred the drink with the little straw, the ice cubes clicking against the glass. “I, ah…I got the feeling you have something on your mind, and you know you can always talk to me.”

Louis took a deep breath. “You are like…you’re like the priest of the RR, as in you are the least gossipy person I know.”

Adam smiled at him. “I don’t know about THAT, but if you take me into your confidence, my lips are always sealed.”

There was only one tactic Louis could take. 

“Have you ever…um…have you ever had the hots for a hetero guy?”

Shit, that was embarrassing to ask.

A wide grin spread on Adam’s face, but he stopped short of giggling.

“There is nothing wrong with appreciating nature’s bounty, Louis, especially when you like men. I know a lot of hot heteros, but obviously you’re not going to act on it. True, a lot of my gay friends just would never be interested in a straight, but everyone is different. We all aren’t made from cookie cutters, you know?”

“True,” Louis nodded his flushed face, avoiding Adam’s eyes. “But what…” he wiggled on his bar stool, “what if you were one of those people, and then one day you found yourself….”

Shit, this was a stupid conversation.

“Do you have a friend in this situation, Louis?” Adam asked in all seriousness as he scooped some pretzels from a bowl on the bar.

“This is why I come to you, Adam…” Louis breathed, “I have a friend back home who has found himself in a predicament.” They both knew the pretense was complete bullshit; he also trusted Adam with his life. 

“I’m all ears and no mouth.”

“Well, for starters, he and two friends dressed in drag and crashed a college party full of heterosexual homophobes….fooled almost all of them.”

Adam froze mid-air, pretzel almost to his open mouth, his eyes widening, and Louis could see a thousand math calculations being made in seconds; then he shoved the pretzel in his mouth and took a drink.

“Wow….gutsy! What possessed him?”

“The idea was to get some of the guys to fall for them…and then…anonymously flash their junk before taking off…”

Adam choked on his drink. “Oh my God…”

“But the one my friend was trying to bamboozle turned the tables on him and tricked him into aborting their mission, and now he feels like a fool.”

Adam finished coughing, wiped his mouth, and studied his face. “Interesting…you said ‘fooled almost all’…”

“This is the real kicker…the only one who wasn’t fooled was the guy he was trying to fool.”

Adam locked eyes with him then, and something danced in them.

“Adam, please don’t judge my friend. He can’t stand this rainbow-mocking frat guy, but from what he tells me, he is quite hot, and my friend can’t help…thinking about him. He thinks there maybe something wrong with him…I’m just…looking for some advice for him.”

Adam blinked into his eyes for a moment, then slowly pulled away and sipped his drink before answering, studying the bottles of booze behind the bar as if searching for wisdom.

“I don’t judge anybody, Louis. Everybody knows that…I mean, EVERYbody.” He twirled the ice in his glass. “I’m the priest, remember? In one way, anyhow…”

They both chuckled at the last bit.

“So…my friend isn’t breaking some rule if he fantasizes about shagging this guy?” 

“If your friend is wanting some advice from me, I would tell your friend to step back and try to see the big picture. Bigotry is a funny thing…there may be some things he’s not considering. Everything is not always as it seems.”

That gave Louis pause, as it sounded like a riddle…he was tired of riddles.

“Adam, my friend, that was a yes or no question.”

“No! The answer is NO!” Adam laughed and went to muss his hair, Louis playfully slapping his hand.

They both laughed, and Louis felt the weight of something lift from his shoulders, and finished his pint.

“We missed you at the October RR meeting,” Adam said casually, tipping back and finishing his drink sans straw. “Will you be at this month’s meeting before Thanksgiving break?”

“Yeah, sorry about that! I will be at November’s meeting for sure. And…thank you.”

“You are welcome, my friend! Now, I say we dance!”

Whether it was his night out with Adam, or just the cosmos readjusting, things fell into a normal routine the next couple of weeks. Louis, Steve, Zayn, and a few guys from RR had drinks and played Golden Tee golf at a local bar on Saturday nights. His Business Ed class was uneventful, Harry continuing to pass his desk, and Louis continuing to actively ignore him; he wouldn’t have been so proud of himself had he known how obvious he was about it.

The gossip girls in First Aid, however, could always be counted on. The Thursday’s class before mid-term week would turn out to be an epic turning point.

“Are you one of the girls who sent Harry a shoe?” Hissed one of them to her lab partner.

“What are you talking about?”

“You haven’t heard? Since that article in the school paper, he’s literally been sent dozens of shoes…you know, the Cinderella thing!”

“Oh my fucking God, are you serious?”

“Pumps and stilettos of all colors and sizes, stacked to the ceiling, probs!” 

They both giggled until tears came, and Louis was ready to join them.

Was he going to be able to help himself? Fuck no.

That night he dug through the floor of his closet until he found what he was looking for…an old pair of worn out high-top masculine Adidas that he was going to get rid of anyway. He chose one of them, and just for kicks, used his set of highlighters to make a rainbow on the toe. 

“Nice touch, Louis,” he said to himself with a smug smirk.

He found an empty shoe box to stuff it in, packed it with last week’s school newspaper so it wouldn’t jiggle, and taped the lid shut.

“Brilliant!” He laughed wickedly as he twirled it in his hands.

He then dug in a drawer for a marker and wrote across the front:

“To Harry, my Prince Charming: find the other shoe, and you will find your Cinderella.”

The next day, sure enough, Friday’s gossip column was all about shoes Harry had received, and he couldn’t have timed things more perfectly. He went home again during mid-day break to get the package. He was taking a risk, but what fun would it be if he didn’t get to see the look on Harry’s face when he opened it…hopefully in front of all the brats?

Luckily, the room wasn’t used the period before the class, and, after scanning the hall, Louis slipped in several minutes early and placed the box on Harry’s chair. Literally running down the steps, he stopped at the last minute and calmly exited the far door, quietly humming “You’re a mean one Mr. Grinch” as he walked down the hall to the cross over.

A little gargoyle hopped on his shoulder. “This isn’t ‘ignoring him’ is it?”

Louis shooed him away. “This is going to be great!”

The gargoyle hopped right back. “Psst…this is flirting.”

Oh please!

He stopped in the restroom and at the water fountain, then joined a stream of students heading to class. There were already people giggling at the package. He pretended not to notice as he sat down, but he felt his adrenaline kick into high gear when Harry entered.

“Harry!” One of the brats shouted, “Your Cinderella has struck again!” 

There was laughter as Harry grinned up at the student and started his climb up the stairs. “Awesome! Delivered to my class this time!”

Louis was all set to ignore him but, when Harry passed him, found himself exchanging glances….and the smirk was back. Damn, damn, damn! Oh well, today he had a good reason, along with everybody else, to turn in his seat and watch him directly.

Tucking his hair behind the ear and bending over, Harry picked up the box and turned it over, inspecting it carefully. As he read the note out loud, a chorus of ‘woot woots’ and whistles chimed.

“They’re usually wrapped in nice paper!” He joked, and everyone laughed as he sat down and began to pull apart the tape.

Louis could barely contain his glee, the hem of his right shirt sleeve pulled in his hand as he held his fist to hide his smiling mouth in anticipation for the “shoe” to drop. This truly had become a meme, and they were all expecting another stiletto, or pump. 

And the Whos down in Whoville would all go boo-hoo-hoo.

There was a brief moment of silence while harry flipped the cover over, and looked inside.

This is it! This is it! Louis held his breath and his eyes were glued to Harry, so he didn’t miss the exact moment when Harry’s face lit up with delight like a child’s on Christmas morning. Then he did something so unexpected, it left Louis gaping. 

Harry lifted the shoe, held it to his chest, and started laughing…but it wasn’t a mocking laughter…it was the laughter of someone who couldn’t believe their good fortune…it was joyful, it was nothing short of lovely, it was…

Well…this isn’t quite how Louis thought it would go.

As the classroom roared, he held the shoe out to look at it again like he couldn’t believe his eyes, and then, what the fuck, looked right at Louis with a genuine grin…and dammit, it was beautiful.

The expected chortling then began. 

“Harry, someone got a little confused!”

“Looks like CinderFELLA has struck!” A tall, obnoxious brat in the back row snorted. 

And on it went.

Each statement was followed by loud laughter, laughter that wasn’t actually pointed at Harry, but at something else. 

Harry’s expression wavered as he looked down and rubbed his thumb against the little rainbow.

Ok, the instructor could get his ass in here any time now.

Harry then licked his lips and stood up slowly, raising the shoe above his head, everyone hooting in anticipation.

“Harry ‘bout to kick some ass!”

He held a hand out as if asking for quiet, an exaggerated little pout on his face.

Laughing died down to snickers.

“Let it be known,” Harry turned in a circle, now wearing a dopey, rumpled smile, “that of all the shoes I’ve received, this is my favorite!”

There was a mixture of laughter and good-natured gaffs.

He pointed to the toe. “There’s even a little rainbow on it!”

The giggles continued, but there was a slight shift in the air.

“Oh gawd, Harry, the rainbows are following you now!”

“Give ‘em an inch they take a mile,” the bugger in the back grumbled.

A few heads turned to look at Louis, and his face burned as he shrugged like he had no idea what was going on, but his hands had a white-knuckled grip on his desk.

“Not only is it my favorite,” Harry continued, “But whichever girl…” he paused and blinked at the shoe, then looked up with a smile “OR GUY…” and then for a moment you could hear a pin drop… “…has the other shoe…they will be my Cinderella…OR Fella…such as the case may be!” 

He took a bow and sat down as people started mumbling, and as comments like “Good one, Harry!” started surfacing, the instructor finally came in.

“Ok, sorry I’m late, everyone quiet, and let’s get to work!”

Louis wasn’t supposed to still be staring, but he hadn’t taken a breath for a solid minute, and he was oxygen deprived. Harry seemed to be taking several deep breaths as he replaced the shoe in the box. What the fuck had actually just happened? 

Then harry met his eyes again, and they stayed locked for several beats before Louis finally blinked away. 

The weekend faced him again, and Louis obviously couldn’t burden Adam this time; this was too heavy, too much, too… 

The discussion at home around their Friday night pizza hadn’t helped. 

“This just keeps getting better and better, eh, Lou?” Zayn elbowed him as he waved the shoe article. “These girls all sending shoes…fuck, everybody really thinks we were sorority chicks that just had to get a glimpse of Harry!” He couldn’t restrain his giggles.

“Don’t choke on your pizza, Zayn.” Louis had sniped, then elbowed him back with a grin he didn’t feel.

“It’s the prank that keeps on giving!” Steve eyed them both, and why did Steve always look like he was up to something? “Who knows WHAT will be in next week’s paper!”

Louis eyed him back. “You know something we don’t, Stevo?”

“Relax!” He laughed. “I just find it hilarious that the real Cinderella is right in my living room! Aren’t you going to send Harry one of your stilettos?” With that he literally fell sideways on the couch laughing.

“He probably already did!” Zayn chortling along with him.

That’s when Louis stood up wiping his hands on his pants.

“That’s ridiculous. I’m going to beg off and stay in to study tonight, boys.”

That only caused them to laugh louder. “You did!” Zayn pointed at him. “You are so busted!”

“You don’t know WHAT you are talking about!” he stated pointedly with the smugness of being right, and, nose in the air and middle finger raised in true drama queen fashion, escaped into his room. 

“Are you really not going out, tonight?” Steve had hollered from the living room.

“Nope! Mid-terms next week, and I’m super behind!”

Mid-terms had been his excuse to isolate that weekend, and to his roommates he appeared for all the world like a dedicated student burying himself in his studies.

In reality, there were only three thoughts that ran through his head like an unstoppable steam engine:

A) When Harry said the high-top Adidas tennis shoe was his favorite, he had meant it. Why this was true, he wasn’t sure.

B) When the class had mocked, Harry hadn’t joined in; in fact the joy had slipped right off his face, but not a soul had noticed. They still had treated it as if Harry had made a joke, but Louis knew this wasn’t true. He had eyes, didn’t he? 

C) This put a whole new spin on a certain rainbow cape…and if there was a write up on the Adidas shoe, what would it look like?

Ok, four thoughts.

D) Who the fuck was Harry Styles? 

He was probably going to flunk all his mid-terms. He HAD to get some studying done Saturday, and his earphones helped him, but by Sunday afternoon he had used up all his self-discipline. Even sitting at his desk looking at the pictures of his family with his Business Ed book open couldn’t drown out the flashbacks that attacked him as his brain elaborated on thought number four. Thoughts that he couldn’t share with a soul.

Harry eyeing up his rainbow shirt that first day and ignoring him.

Harry standing there like a deer in the headlights when Louis showed up at ACO’s lounge to announce Rainbow Regime’s opener party.

Harry showing up at said party, getting drunk and dancing in front of him after the speech he gave.

The local newspaper, talking about the rich son of Des Styles’ “benevolent gesture” to the LGBTQ+ community.

Harry, showing up the next day with his initials in rainbow, wearing jackets and embroidered initials that his mother made for him so that he would always …remember who he was.

Oh, shit.

Harry, at the costume party, weaving in and out with his cape flying…and at this point in his reverie, Louis stood up and started pacing, both hands rubbing his temples. 

Nothing in the local paper, but the school paper and everybody talking about what a joke it had been, and Harry looking all weird the next day.

Harry making a bee line for him when he recognized him, spilling confidences and grabbing his ass…

The memory of Harry’s breath on his ear, the strong, warm hand on his body, and…

STOP! STOP!

His body didn’t listen to him, and a coiled burning tightened in his lower gut as he tried to control his breathing.

This was just complete utter…his isolation was driving him mad, that’s all.

He stormed out of his room to find Steve and Zayn playing a rare game of Fifa, and they both turned to him lazily.

“Cinderella has decided to join the living!” Steve chuckled innocently.

“Not only is she pretty, but she must be smart, too!” Zayn added.

“Shut up!” Louis snapped as he went straight to the fridge in hopes of finding one of Steve’s Stella Artois. He bent over, fruitlessly rummaging through the condiments.

“Someone needs to get laid!” Zayn through over his shoulder carelessly, his eyes back on the TV screen, fingers working over the controls.

“I said, SHUT UP!” The fridge door slammed, and Louis stood there angrily huffing as they turned to gape at him.

He inhaled deeply and brushed his fringe aside.

“Sorry…I’ve been cooped up too long. Don’t mind me, I’m just going to go find a beer somewhere.”

Steve and Zayn exchanged glances, and wisely refrained from further teasing.

“So…” Steve began, “you don’t want company?” He searched Louis’s face, and got his answer before he spoke.

“Na, I just need a little air. I’m fine, guys, really!” He tried to joke it off as he grabbed his jean jacket and car keys, then changed his mind and replaced the keys on the hook. “I need a walk. See ya later.”

Hands jammed in the pockets, started speed walking, and it wasn’t long before he was several blocks away. He was headed to the local bar where they had played Golden Tee, but it being Sunday afternoon, he anticipated no students being there. He was going to drink some sense into himself; the crisp, fall air was already helping him feel better.

There was one elderly gentleman at the bar drinking what smelled like whiskey, and a few middle-aged couples scattered in the booths. He sat himself opposite the old man, nodding, and congratulated himself on being right. Most students were either nursing hangovers or gearing up for midterms. 

“You know what?” He said as the bartender approached him. “I’ll have a shot of tequila…100% agave only,” he added, knowing Adam would be proud of him.

He slid a $10.00 bill towards the man as he poured and handed him the drink, and Louis raised the glass to his lips, took a deep breath, and emptied it quickly, the dark liquid burning down his throat and warming his belly. Exhaling, he sucked on the sliver of lime, enjoying its flavorful, acidic sting.

“That’s good shit!” He said to the bartender, and ordered one more.

He began to really feel the buzz, and his limbs felt very relaxed, and this was good. Nothing like a few quiet, Sunday shots to prepare one for the school week. No, let’s not think about that, please. He glanced over to the deserted electronic game area where Golden Tee sat between Big Buck Hunter and a pinball machine. 

He pulled out another ten spot. If two was good, three would be better. “Say, can I get another shot and a bottle of Stella Artois…and some $1.00s?”

He downed his third shot, and took his beer to the Golden Tee, and set up to play nine holes of virtual golf, choosing the easiest course. A round, white ball that moved in place in all directions was the “gulf club” and you took your shot by moving your hand over the ball, the strength and direction of your hand controlling what happened on the screen. Louis sucked at the game, but there was something cathartic about it.

By the time the cartoon figure in blue shorts that represented himself had gotten to hole three, his score was already twenty over par, and his beer half gone. The shots had caught up with him, and he knew he was half shit faced...alone on a Sunday afternoon. This was OK, he was a college student for Christ’s sake. There was a reason he had chosen to walk. 

He narrowed his eyes on hole four, determined to avoid the lake to the left and the volcano on the right to make it onto the green. 

“Let’s see, I need a little A-1,” he said aloud to himself, using his thumb to pull back just a little more on the white ball, watching his cartoon-self pull back the club for a full swing. “Just a little curve to the left!”

He pulled his hand all the way back, his flat palm up in position, and then let it fly against the ball with all the strength he could muster, its spinning reflecting how hard he had hit it. Unfortunately, his fingers rammed up against the metal edge so hard he almost collapsed with the shock of it. 

He grasped his wrist and howled, and a wave of dizziness caused him to fall back against the side of the game, his eyes shut in pain.

“Shit, that hurt!” he cursed loudly to no one in particular.

“Would you like me to shoot for you?” 

The pain must be doing weird things to him. The voice was close, and frighteningly familiar.

Still grasping his wrist, Louis drunkenly turned and opened his eyes to find Harry smirking at him, green eyes glowing.

Just great.

“What the hell are YOU doing here?” Louis spat, and turned his back to wiggle his fingers in front of his face and make sure they weren’t broken.

“It’s Sunday,” Harry answered, totally unbothered by Louis’s greeting. “I come here Sunday afternoon to think sometimes, because it’s quiet.”

Reaching for his beer with his good hand, and facing Harry, he took a long chug, using the moment to take stock.

Harry stood there tall, one hand holding a bottle of Sam Adams, the other running through his long, wavy locks that splayed over that gold, fall coat of his. He made a little tapping gesture against his shoulder and wrinkled his nose in a sniff, a little smile turning up at the corners of his mouth. His gaze brushed over Louis’s injured hand, on down to his shoes and back up again to meet his eyes.

The look wasn’t lecherous by any stretch of the imagination, but there was something innocently intimate about it, and as Louis lowered his bottle and licked his lips, Harry’s eyes fluttered and he broke eye contact to study his shoes.

The action of a coy schoolgirl, was Louis’s first thought, but there had been nothing coy about him at the costume party. Why did he allow that scene to enter his head? He was too inebriated to deal with Harry in a responsible way.

Just for the hell of it, when Harry looked back up, he made eye contact and took another drink, this time slowly pulling his lips off the rim of the bottle with a tiny slurp and running his tongue across his upper lip. Harry followed the action for a fraction of a second, then returned his stare, and there it was…the smolder, his eyes narrowing with various shades of lustful green that sent waves of heat down Louis’s belly and beyond, and fuck, he played himself there, didn’t he.

Harry Styles, you little shit.

Then the smirk found its way to Harry’s face, and he shook his head, looking away, as if catching himself.

“Boy, are you drunk!” He scoffed, drinking his own beer, licking his own lips.

“Yeah?” Louis nodded his head sarcastically. “What makes you think that, oh wise Sherlock?” 

Harry looked to the Golden Tee screen, where Louis’s little cartoon counterpart still waited for his next shot, and motioned with his beer bottle.

“Your ball ended up in the volcano.” He stated matter-of-factly, looking back at him with eyes wide and innocent.

Louis burst out in a loud, spontaneous laugh, and he covered his mouth trying to recover himself, but he couldn’t stop the rolling laugh that continued. Harry stood there giggling with the widest, dimple-cheeked grin, and Louis wasn’t sure if he was laughing at the horrible joke or himself, but it didn’t matter. 

“Ok, big shot,” he said, humor still on his face, “let’s see if you can do any better!”

“Thought you’d never ask!”

Harry set his beer down, wiggling his hips, and approached the game with a faux serious expression. He bent over, his forearms on the counter, both thumbs moving the white ball to set up his shot. If anyone had asked Louis if he noticed Harry’s tight ass and thighs through his skinny jeans, he would have roundly denied it.

“A little C-3, and this should be perfect.” Harry spoke almost to himself, and geared up for the shot, both his thumbs still on the ball.

“Wait, you use two thumbs?”

Harry looked at him like he was crazy. “Absolutely! You have the best control that way!”

“No way, how do you get any leverage?”

Harry blinked at him slowly then, rubbing both of his thumbs across the white ball. “Trust me…two thumbs on the ball are better.”

Louis opened his mouth in a moment of shock. 

Harry grinned and went back to set up his shot.

Louis was dizzy with alcohol, but he was also dizzy with the feeling that he had been transported to some alternate universe. Everything felt very surreal. Sure, he was drunk, but how was it that he and Harry Styles were drinking together playing Golden Tee on a Sunday afternoon and exchanging sexual innuendos?

Harry leaned back, then flipped the shot and they watched the screen as the animated golf ball flew out of the volcano and landed in a perfect spot to be set up for the green. He smiled proudly as an electronic voice said, “That was a nice shot!”

‘Thank you!” Harry answered the game, then stepped aside, wiggling two thumbs up at Louis with a silly grin.

“You are sooooo weird.”

“You really have no idea!”

They smirked at one another for a moment, then Louis motioned with his bottle, “Go ahead, finish the hole off Mr. Wiggles, and show me how it’s done!”

Harry only needed two more shots to get the ball in the hole, and celebrated by getting another beer, so Louis got one too, and that’s how they ended up finishing the game together.

Harry, showing off his prowess, shaking his hips; Louis, trying not to stare, and making drunken wisecracks instead. His second beer really put him a bit over the top, and by the end of the game he was feeling a little green. 

As they prepared to leave, Harry looked him up and down.

“You aren’t driving, are you?”

“Of course not, don’t be stupid.”

“Can I give you a lift?” Harry asked as they went out the door, and the shadows of evening surrounded them.

“You drove?” Louis asked incredulously.

“I know it’s not that far, but I enjoy driving sometimes.”

“No…what I meant was, you actually drive yourself places? Like, I thought you would have a chauffeur drive your rich ass around.”

For the first time since Harry had approached him, he truly looked exasperated.

“Fine.” He turned abruptly onto the sidewalk.

Louis eyed him as he started making long strides toward a Ford Mustang sports car, then followed him, trying to move his legs fast enough to keep up with him.

“I mean, come on, you can’t blame me, Mr. stretch-limo Styles. You probably have someone dress you, too.”

His drunken legs failed him, and he tripped over them, Harry reaching out to grab his arm to keep him from falling. He kept walking, Louis in tow, and opened the passenger door with his key fob. 

“Tell me,” Louis continued ridiculously, “Have you ever even wrapped a birthday present?” 

“Get in.” Harry said, opening the door. “You’ll never make it back on those legs.”

Louis wordlessly complied, and he couldn’t help smiling to himself. This was the weirdest day he had ever had in his life.

“I live right across the street from ACO.” He said slyly, and Harry shook his head, the smirk back on his face. 

They hadn’t talked about anything important, and everything he had thought about that day hadn’t been vocalized in any meaningful way; he was too drunk for that. Regardless, they seemed to have come to an understanding in their…

Strange thing was, even though this was the first time they had had any kind of real conversation, it didn’t FEEL like the first time. The space between them felt familiar, like Deja Vu, like he had known him in another life. Strange indeed, because this was someone he had felt nothing but disdain for not long ago.

At the same time, Harry was still a big mystery to him, and he had a lot of questions; but there was one thing Louis was sure about, even in his drunken state of mind.

Harry Styles was not straight. 

“Is this it?”

Harry had slowed down, and they were passing their rambler, that was, in fact, right across the street from the frat house.

“Yup, this is it,” He answered, and Harry stopped the car.

He was glad they hadn’t talked about anything specifically. Just hanging out, getting drunk, and sharing barbs without anyone around to ask questions had been very cathartic; Louis had to admit he had enjoyed himself, and the “not talking” thing had kept pressure off. All he had to do now was get his drunk ass in the house.

“Thanks for the ride.” 

Before he could open the door, of course, Harry started talking.

“Um…I really enjoyed myself today.”

A benign statement in itself, but Louis felt the ‘but’ coming…there was definitely a ‘but’ coming.

“I…” He gripped the steering wheel tightly, and his face now had a knot in his brow. “We…”

“Harry, this was a delightfully odd afternoon, I’m very drunk, and I’m now going to go pass out.” 

He opened the door, and Harry’s intense stare went right past him and up onto his doorstep and into the windows. There was something confusing, and almost guilty in his look, and his eyes shone with moisture as he blinked and turned back to the road.

Oh.

Louis rested his head on the car seat and turned to study him, and recognized the painful conflict. This was awkward, because they hadn’t talked about anything. But he knew about Harry, and Harry knew that he knew.

“You have nothing to worry about.” He finally said, and got out of the car, making eye contact. “I know I can be a little shit, but I would never…” He nodded his head towards the house. “…share someone’s secrets...even if I am shitfaced.”

Harry smiled apologetically.

“It’s OK. Thanks for the ride, Harry.”

Harry gave him a little wave as he closed the door.

Louis really, really, didn’t feel good, but made it to the steps, Harry’s car idling behind him until he made it inside.

“I’m drunk, and I feel like shit!” He announced enthusiastically to his roommates, who were still playing fucking Fifa.

They looked up at his goofy, drunken smile, and Steve retorted with, “Yeah, but you look a hell of a lot better than when you left!”

Louis tittered straight to his room and slipped off his jacket. After downing a glass of water, taking a wiz, and swishing with mouth wash, he headed to his bed with the intention of throwing himself upon it immediately. 

His window caught his eye, though, and he was drawn to it, and leaned his tired body against the frame. Harry’s figure came into view from the direction of the parking area, and Louis’ eyes followed his every move as he hopped up the steps to the ACO doors. With his hand on the latch, he turned and looked across the street to their house, a very soft expression of longing on his face, before slipping inside. Louis watched the door for a moment, the street light catching his lashes, before pushing away with a groan and plopping into bed under the covers. He was screwed.

Harry had seemed so torn about Louis not giving him away, like he felt guilty about not being ready, and yet…in class the other day he had stood up with his damn Adidas shoe and practically announced it to the class. 

His last thought before slipping into unconsciousness was how much courage it must have taken for him to do that.

He hadn’t set his alarm, so he was lucky when the sunshine woke him the next morning. He mouth was dry as sandpaper, and his eyes glued shut with morning goo, but his first thoughts were of Harry, and had yesterday really happened? It must have, because rather than stress there was anticipation. For what, he wasn’t sure.

Monday was a disaster academic wise. He had a pounding headache, and despite being sequestered all weekend, wasn’t prepared for his Theater Arts exam. He was sure he passed, but he would have to kick it up the rest of the semester to keep up his GPA.

As he made his way to Business Ed and took his seat, his insides fluttered annoyingly. Maybe he was all wrong about Harry. Maybe he was imagining everything? Maybe he was just playing a stupid game? 

Then Harry came through the doors, his eyes landed right on him, and they exchanged knowing smiles. Louis felt the now familiar pull in his chest, and is this going to happen every single time he looked at him? 

He started towards the stairs, his cheek pulled back into a pierced-lip smirk, eyes drifting to the back wall, and that’s when Louis noticed the pair of high-top Adidas on his feet…along with his black jeans and sports jacket. What a little shit. Louis couldn’t suppress a wide, closed lipped smile, and as Harry passed him he rested a thumb on Louis’ desk, practically leaving an impression in the wood.

As Harry sat down, there seemed to be an invisible tie that bound them as their instructor came to the podium.

“Good afternoon, class. As you know, the exam is on Wednesday, but in lieu of review today, we have a surprise guest speaker.”

There was some shuffling as a tall, dark haired man with greying temples entered the room.

“I’m pleased to introduce Mr. Des Styles, CEO of 3M, and father to our Harry!”

As the room erupted in applause, Louis’ head whipped to Harry, who was sitting up straight in his seat with a shocked look, the knot in his brow telling Louis he was stressed.

The man was broad shouldered, and his fine suit shouted power and influence and he smiled over his audience with an air of one who was about to offer a generous treat to his admirers.

“Hello!” He straightened his tie then leaned his thick hands on the podium. “I’m happy to be here and share my business knowledge with you fine people.” He cast his eyes over the room, then landed them on Harry. “You weren’t expecting me, were you son?”

The way he said it was very odd, and Louis gave Harry a subtle glance.

He had settled back in his seat, elbow on his desk with his hand holding his jaw, thumb under his chin, pointer finger against his cheek. His eyes bore into his fathers’.

“By the way, Melinda wanted me to give you the message that she’s hoping you are behaving yourself!” He chuckled as one would when using humor to endear his audience, and there was laughter all around, because harry? Behaving?

Harry hadn’t moved, but his eyes blazed fire and something else a bit more vulnerable, and Louis wanted to march right down and choke the man, because what the actual fuck?

Mr. Styles suddenly got serious.

“This is a Business Education class. If you are going to make it in the business world, there are some decisions you are going to have to make and stick to, because this is a commitment.”

The room was silent for the rest of the lecture, save for the sound of pens scratching notes across paper. Louis hadn’t touched his pen. He was going to use the period to study his class notes, and occasionally check up on Harry.

He wasn’t taking notes, but clicked the end of his pen on and off, staring stonily at his father, a myriad of emotions dancing across his irises.

Some things started to click into place in Louis’ mind.

Harry’s mother made him jackets with embroidered rainbow letters, and here was his father, using manipulation tactics to publicly humiliate and control him. It was as if they were battling for Harry’s soul, and Harry was fighting with rainbow capes and Adidas shoes and going to Rainbow Regime parties. Something always popped up to discount his efforts, but he kept trying.

Des Styles lecture ended with, “I see most of you taking notes, and I heartily approve; you will be the ones to succeed in this life!”

A chill ran through Louis as the class applauded; that was a pointed dig at his own son.

Louis felt something protective fill his chest, something that burned, something that threatened to choke him as the class was dismissed and he lingered in his seat. 

No, he wasn’t going to get a chance to catch Harry as they left, because father and son were obviously going to leave together.

He had three more mid-terms, the Rainbow Regime meeting Wednesday night, and then Thanksgiving break. Would it be out of line to somehow invite Harry to the meeting? Would he want to go? Was he getting ahead of himself?

Unfortunately, mid-terms took over as his focal point, and he and his roommates spent the next couple days surrounded by books and junk food, the costume party and everything associated with it fading into the woodwork.

But for Louis, Harry was never far from his mind, and everything felt oddly different. Even their house, the furniture, the atmosphere, because his friends had no clue about what he was experiencing; the disconnect just felt strange.

When he got to his seat for his last exam in Business Ed, there was a piece of paper taped to it. Harry was already settled in, studying his notes one last time. He didn’t look up.

Louis hesitated only a moment before subtly taking the paper and opening it up in his lap as he sat down.

“Will you be at the meeting tonight? Text – H.”

He left his cell phone number.

Wow. Ok.

Before the exam, the instructor gave them an assignment to complete over the holiday…bastard.

“I want you all to prepare a five to ten-minute presentation as it relates to what we’ve been studying. It will count as part of your grade. The week you return, you will each present it orally to the class. Good luck on your exam, and have a nice Thanksgiving.”

He somehow made it through the exam, and instinctively just exited the room as he normally would have done to book it home. As soon as he got to his room he pulled his phone out to send Harry a text.

“It’s Louis…yes, I’ll be at the meeting tonight. Did U want to go?”

After correcting several nerve-inducing typos, he pressed send, and waited for the reply.

“Good, because you missed the last one.”

Shit…Harry had been at the October meeting? He had been too busy planning their prank to go, and meanwhile the recipient of said prank had attended his first RR meeting.

His mind jumped back to his night out with Adam, and he recalled his question to him about missing the meeting, and if he would be at November’s. His puzzling comment now made sense.

Adam wasn’t kidding when he called himself a priest. He felt a wave of pride in the members of RR and the fact that not a hint of gossip about it had leaked.

“I’m sorry I missed it…truly. I’ll see U there?”

“Yes. And that’s ok, I’m sure U had a good reason 4 not being there : ) : )”

He grinned to himself at the emojis, and felt his face flush. He answered with a set of upside-down smiley faces.

The meetings were always held in the basement liberal arts classroom, and there was a water cooler and several boxes of donuts in the back. Everybody was helping themselves and buzzing like normal, like it was every day they had a ACO student in attendance. 

Harry sat in the back row taking a bite of his doughnut, and Louis stepped over to shake his hand.

“Harry Styles…glad you could make it.” His eyes twinkled, and he felt several faces grinning at them, obviously tickled pink that Louis was here to see this for himself. “May, I?” He motioned to the empty chair and sat down as Adam called the meeting to order.

“I’m happy to see everybody here, tonight!” He said enthusiastically, and let his eyes dance on Louis. “Visitors as well as regulars!”

And then the meeting went on like all the others, going over last week’s minutes, which included ‘welcoming a new visitor’ and going over the proceeds from their welcoming party. New business included the usual ‘share your stories of inspiration’ and plans for the Holiday mixer party.

Louis sat there in disbelief, because how was it possible that Harry was seated next to him? Listening intently to every story, eyes shining with an envious yearning. As Louis raised his hand to adjust his fringe, he let it graze against Harry’s, and felt harry smile in response.

When the meeting was over, they spoke for a moment.

“Are you going home for the holiday?” Louis asked him.

“My father is picking me up in an hour…in his limo,” he added with a smirk.

Louis chuckled. “He seems…quite driven.”

Harry looked at his hands as he rubbed them together. “I keep telling myself, if I can just get through college…if I can just get through college.” He spoke with a constrained sort of pain that pulled at Louis’ innards.

“Your dad…he’s giving you an ultimatum?”

“Basically. I told myself that I just had to do what I had to do, and it was no big deal…then I heard you in the ACO lounge.”

Louis swallowed as he studied his face, but Harry wasn’t looking at him.

“You were so unabashed, and I guess it made me look at myself. Something made me go to the party, and then I heard your speech. I know I am caving to my father so that my schooling will be funded, and I just…” Harry looked at him then, eyes full of moisture. “I wish I could be more like you.”

Louis felt as if a thousand pokers were being driven through his heart, and he stared in shock for a moment, then made direct eye contact.

“Do you know how much shit I went through before coming out? Don’t do that to yourself. Don’t compare yourself to anyone Harry, especially little ol’ me. Nobody here is going to judge you for that. Do you know how brave and beautiful you were in class the other day with the shoe?”

And did he just say that?

Harry smiled at him then, blinking his eyes.

“Repeat after me,” Louis continued, “I am brave and beautiful. Go on, say it.”

Harry stuck his chin out a little in a faux pas expression of importance. “I am brave….and beau-ti-full!”

They both chuckled, Louis endeared more than he thought possible.

“Remember that this weekend…you can text me if you want,” he added with a shy glance in the other direction.

“I’ll probably do that.”

 

Louis was met at the door by all his siblings, and he hugged them tight one by one, starting with the youngest, and tears spilled over; he had missed them so much. His mother watched the scene lovingly, waiting her turn to welcome her boy home even though the visit was only for a few days. 

“Who wants the turkey leg?” Dan, his stepfather called out as he cut into the brown, steaming hot bird.

“Give it to Louis, he deserves it!” Lottie stated as she scooped up some mashed potatoes and grinned at him. 

Doris and Ernie, the youngest set of twins, already had faces full of gravy from where they sat perched in their high chairs.

“Thank you! That sounds great!” Louis reached with his plate to receive the leg, and smiled at all the satisfied faces as they dug into the green bean casserole and cranberry salad. It was great to be home. 

He had read a bedtime story to the twins, and everyone was settling in for the night, when he thought maybe he would send a text to Harry. He also needed to think about his presentation to the class, and what the heck was he going to talk about? How advertising affects the masses? How to keep an accurate LEDGER? Maybe he would talk about being responsible with personal finances. That had a good ring to it.

He phone dinged with a text. 

It was from Harry, and they proceeded to have the following conversation.

“Hey…how was your turkey? H.”

“Delicious; I got the leg. How are you doing?”

“Been nice to be home. Although Dad wants to know when I’m bringing my girlfriend home.”

“What girlfriend?”

“Jenny, supposedly.”

“What about Melinda?”

“There is no Melinda…” 

“Snort…”

“I know.”

“Do you know what your presentation will be?”

“I have a good idea. Working on it already.”

“Aren’t you the good student though?”

To which Harry responded with a snarky emoji.

“Ha-ha…well, I better start working on mine…have a good weekend Harry.”

“You too.”

“Say…has your dad ever seen Jenny?”

“Nope…that’s why he’s pushing.”

“Hmmm…interesting.”

“Why interesting?”

“Let’s talk when we get back.”

“All right.”

When he got back to his campus home Sunday night, he was feeling incredibly accomplished. Not only had he completed his assignment, but he had such a wild idea that no prank had ever or would ever match it.

“You look like the cat that ate the canary!” Steve teased as they gathered in the living room to update each other.

Louis sat cross legged in his favorite chair daintily smoking a cigarette. “Amazing what a home cooked meal will do for a fella!” He chirped. “You boys get some good turkey?”

“My old man shot a deer and we had venison,” Zayn said from his perch on the floor. He rested against the couch. “So much for tradition.”

“Ah, yes,” Louis laughed at the ceiling. “Tradition is over rated. Here’s to breaking them!”

Steve narrowed his eyes. “You are up to something, Tomlinson.”

Louis looked dramatically affronted.

“Who, me?”

That week, starting Monday, the students from Business Education began giving their presentations. Most of them were pretty generic and themes were repetitive, and it was all Louis could do to stay awake. He hoped his didn’t sound as boring.

He and Harry communicated via texting, and they exchanged “subtle” smiles and smirks as Harry passed his desk. They talked about Harry’s situation with his father, and his father’s not-so-subtle push for validation about his girlfriend. Louis encouraged Harry and assured him that it wasn’t his fault his father was so narrow minded.

“I have an idea to run by you actually. Want to meet at the bar on Sunday afternoon?”

“Can’t wait.”

Louis gave his presentation on Wednesday, and he must say he was damn proud of himself. Only one other student had used his topic, and he felt he had kept everyone’s attention nicely. Particularly a long-legged, wavy-haired frat boy with hypnotizing green eyes. By the end of his presentation, things had gotten a bit embarrassing.

On Thursday, to his chagrin, one of the sorority gossip girls in First Aid leaned over to him. 

“Excuse me, Louis?” He looked over and found her exchanging glances with her friend as if looking for courage.

“Sorry if I’m being nosey, but what’s up with you and Harry Styles?”

Sorry my ass, Louis thought, and made a face at her. “What do you mean?”

She rushed to explain. “Sorry, it’s just that I know someone in Business Ed, and they said you were always…”

“Always WHAT?”

“Well, to quote my friend, ‘always looking googly-eyed at each other’.” The other girl put her face on her desk, and Louis rolled his eyes.

“What utter bullshit! I think your friend has been smoking something funny, that’s what I think.”

Though it stung a little to say those words, there was no way he was going to risk outing Harry before he was ready. If Harry were ever interested in him after he came out, Louis would scream it with pride from the mountaintops...but not before.

He texted Harry that night.

“Someone is talking about us making eyes at each other in class. You’re going to have to try and tone it down, Romeo.”

“I blame it all on you, Juliet.”

“My name is Cinderella.”

“Still.”

The next day Harry would be presenting his assignment in class, and Louis made a metal note to prepare to keep a neutral look on his face. It was irritating but necessary.

He had stopped to grab the school’s weekly Friday paper, just to see what lovely bits of gossip there may be this week. Of course there was a big article right on the first page about Des Styles being there. A picture of him and Harry was attached, both smiling into the camera. 

The discourse was pretty much about his contribution to their class, how thankful the school was he took time out of his busy schedule, blah, blah, blah, and “Rumor has it Mr. Styles is looking forward to meeting Harry’s new girlfriend. Perhaps someone should break the news to him that Harry has fallen for a mystery blond?”

The gossip in the paper no longer made him want to drill holes in his eye sockets; it was just all so ridiculous, all he could do was laugh.

Now he sat, expectantly, as the instructor introduced Harry for his presentation.

Harry was dressed in his jacket with the rainbow initials and a white, collared button down. He looked great, though he seemed a little nervous. He smiled out over the heads of his audience and took a deep breath.

“You have heard the saying, I am sure, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’.” 

He waited as a few nodded their heads.

“Meaning something or someone may be very different than they appear on the outside.”

He paused and looked down at his notes.

“Harry,” Louis thought. 

“What does this have to do with business, you might ask? Well, the goal in most business advertising is to get people to judge nothing BUT the cover. The cover is the hook. If you are in business, the cover is what you use to get people to buy. If your intended audience looks any deeper than the cover you are selling, you have failed.”

Louis felt the hairs on the back of his neck.

“Unless, of course, the product you are selling is actually as authentic as you claim. In which case the product will eventually sell itself. To illustrate what I mean, take Dr. Seuss’s book “The Sneeches.”

There was some giggling.

“The shifty little businessman talked everybody into believing that only people with stars on their bellies were worth anything; all the ‘star-bellied’ sneeches believed they were superior, and the bare-bellies believed they were scum. Nobody stopped to look past their prejudices, and the businessman became rich selling stars to the plain-bellied sneeches until they had spent all their money.”

“Of course, everything he was selling was a big fat lie.”

The room was very quiet.

“As the story goes, he turned right around and did the same thing with the empty bellies, and suddenly everybody wanted to be an empty belly. So the silly star-bellied sneeches spent all THEIR money getting their stars removed. It wasn’t until the businessman had hoodwinked everybody out of their money that they started looking “beyond the book cover” so to speak….started looking past what they were seeing on the surface. Then they realized that the shifty little businessman had just been using their own bigotry against them.” 

“Which brings me to the moral of the story for this class. What kind of businessman do you want to be? Do you want to offer a genuine product? Do you want to prey on people’s prejudices? In the end, what do you want to be admired for?”

He licked his lips and gathered his notes. Everything he had talked about seemed to be the antithesis of what his father had said before the break, and the room was deathly quiet. 

“That’s pretty much it. Are there any questions?”

Someone raised their hand. “Do you know any other Dr. Seuss stories?” 

Louis turned his head slowly towards the voice, and he was sure his look would kill. But Harry continued without missing a beat.

“As long as you ask, another favorite of mine is ‘Pale Green Pants.’” He smiled gently and folded his hands behind his back. 

“The hero of the story is a boy who is disturbed by a strange creature that seems to follow him around. The creature is just a pair of pants…pale green pants…that move around on their own with no one inside them. They scare the shit out of the kid. He is only afraid because the other being is different that he is. This being hasn’t done anything worthy of this reaction, but still, the boy is terrified.”

“Bigotry is often born and maintained due to mindless fear.”

“Eventually, the two are forced to interact due to unforeseen circumstances, and guess what? The creature has been just as terrified as the boy and both had been trying to avoid one another…but for absolutely no good reason…and when they finally looked beyond the book cover, they became good friends.”

Harry delivered the words so eloquently and with such conviction, not a soul in the room could doubt they were personal to him somehow; and based on everything they had heard of him, it wasn’t the kind of thing they would have expected from Harry Styles.

He gathered his note book and sat down, and the instructor came to the podium. 

“Well…I think we saved the best for last. Thank you Harry. You are all dismissed.” 

Louis exited the room and searched for the nearest toilet, leaned against the wall, and punched out a text.

“Harry, I’m shaking. That was brilliant. I loved it. Are we still on for Sunday?”

Sunday seemed like an awful long time away.

“Thanks! Yes. Two pm. B there or B square.”

Louis rolled his eyes at the empty bathroom.

“48 whole hours, can you bare it until then?” 

“Anticipation…”

The weekend stretched incredibly long, and Louis spent a lot of it contemplating how wrong he had been about Harry, and conversely how wrong he may be about a lot of people. Harry’s presentation, while using children’s books to deliver a general message, had seemed deeply personal to him. It had been delivered with an almost pleading request for people to look beyond the gossip and things that had been written about him. 

Granted, that was probably because he had gotten a glimpse of Harry’s heart, and he found himself identifying with the boy in the pants story. He wanted to shout to everybody, “Harry is wonderful,” “Harry is an amazing human being,” “Harry is…”

He stopped and ran a hand through his hair. “Harry is hot as hell.”

He laughed to himself. Oh shit.

“You seem awfully distracted these days,” Zayn said to him Saturday night as they were preparing to go out.

“Naw, I’m just…I have to catch up on some things, that’s all.”

He stood in the kitchen boiling ramen noodles wearing his rattiest sweats.

“Aren’t you coming out with us even?” Steve asked accusingly.

“Not tonight. You guys go break a leg for me, I told you I’m catching up.”

“He’s waiting for his fairy godmother.” Zayn smirked at him, and Louis rolled his eyes to the back of his head.

“I’m staying home to get a break from you morons!”

Finally alone, he went to his closet and ran his hand down the blond wig that hung in its special spot. Very tempting; very indeed.

He flung himself on the bed, and starting texting Harry, then screw it, just called instead. 

“Hello!” He answered with surprise.

“Just checking on the time tomorrow.”

Harry chuckled. “Still 2pm.”

“And you don’t care if people see us?”

There was a pause. “Not likely to happen, and even so, it’s not a big deal…”

“Ok…just checking.” Louis turned from his closet and shut the door.

He got to the bar early, and was sipping on a pint of beer, when Harry came in. He turned and watched him approach with that dimple-inducing grin, and the affection meter in his chest threatened to go right off the chart.

“Hey! Fancy meeting you here!” He grinned conspiratorially as Harry stepped up and ordered a Sam Adams.

They took their drinks and set up another Golden Tee game.

“So…” Harry took a drink and wickedly licked his lips. “I’ve been dying to hear about this idea of yours.”

Louis gave him a “come hither” look, and placed both thumbs on the ball, slowly rotating it, and enjoyed Harry’s slightly flustered response.

“Ugh…” he cleared his throat and smiled, looking out the window, cheeks pink. “I’m…”

“Hey, you started it.”

“That was before you…”

Louis raised his eyebrows. “Before what?”

Harry stared back at him intently, eyes darkening, and there was really no denying the response Louis felt in the depths of his gut…or the chemistry that sizzled between them. God. Here they were, playing virtual golf because the world was ridiculous.

Harry stepped closer and placed his fingers on his wrist, gently feathering them down over Louis’s hand; it was incredibly sensual, and Louis literally inhaled sharply.

“Before that.” Harry answered, removing his hand and Louis locked eyes with him, his mouth slightly open in a sort of shock. So, before they knew they were insanely attracted to one another.

“So…” Louis took a deep breath. “I was thinking…what if the mysterious blond were to show up, say, at the same dance club as you? And you actually hit it off? You take her to meet your old man?”

Harry’s eyes lit up as he doubled over in laughter, fist to his mouth, hand running through his hair, hanging onto the game to keep from falling over.

“Oh my god, are you serious?”

“We get to hang out, you make your dad happy, and everybody wins!”

Harry looked at him like he was crazy, but the wheels were spinning in his eyes as he smiled in open-mouthed disbelief.

“Hey, if I can fool the entire ACO fraternity, I should be able to fool a bunch of drunk disco patrons. Your father will be so happy he won’t think twice.” 

“You’ve really been thinking about this…it sounds wild! I’m trying to picture my father’s wrath if he ever found out.” And he laughed so hard his eyes disappeared. “God, that’s really not funny.”

“The disco will be the test. The thing is, when gossip spreads, my roommates will know it’s me. I can pull it off as me just continuing my prank, but…either way, I trust them.”

He searched Harry’s face then, in a moment of seriousness.

“Ok…if you trust your roommates, I trust them too.”

Harry sniffed and stared back at him, inadvertently glancing at him up and down. “This really is insane...but me and Cinderella together at a disco? I simply cannot refuse that. If you are game, I am.”

“So, Friday night?”

“I can’t believe I am agreeing to this…my horizons are definitely broadening. “

Louis found himself giggling with glee.

“Friday night, then.” 

*

Louis strutted out of his room fully dressed as Cinderella in the same skirt he wore to the party, but a silky pink top with fluttery sleeves.

Steve and Zayn nearly choked to death on their Stella Artois as a yellow taxi pulled up in front of the house.

“Boys, don’t wait up for me.” He had his long jacket with the hood up as a cover to get from the house to the car just in case. 

“Cinderella rises!” This from Steve. 

“Where the fuck are you going like that?” Zayn demanded.

Louis adjusted his hood. “Relax, I’m just going to go have some fun at the club.”

“You’re crazy! Shouldn’t you have, you know, checked with us? What if you get caught?”

Steve just laughed. “Planning on meeting anyone? Hmm?”

“Styles has looked a little lonely lately. Let’s just say, if you hear any weird rumors, keep your lips zipped.”

Zayn looked at Steve in disbelief.

“Fuck, Tomlinson, you are nuts! I thought we all agreed we were done with this shit.” 

Before going out the door, he gave them both a look.

“Zipped. Lips. If you are good, I’ll tell you all about it.”

He entered the dance club looking confident but feeling his nerves from head to toe. Not the kind that came from fear, but the kind that came with knowing your life was going to change in some dramatic way, the kind that came when you knew you were doing something totally off the charts but that it would be totally worth it.

He smiled flirtatiously with the bouncer, who looked him up and down appreciatively, and then…

“Hello, there! Can I see your I.D. miss?”

Shit, how could he have been so stupid.

He dug around in his little purse as he tried to come up with a plan. “Oh…I’m so sorry! I seem to have forgotten to bring it!”

The bouncer grimaced. “Oh boy…”

Louis looked up pleadingly. “I am twenty-two, honestly. I just took a taxi quite a way to get here. Surely just this once…”

He shook his head apologetically. “Sorry, pretty lady. I really can’t.”

Louis stood there in disbelief. How could he have forgotten this important detail?

Then he spotted Harry. He nearly forgot his predicament as he stared at him walking purposefully towards them like some long-legged God. His shirt…was it possible he was really dressed in a hot-pink button down with white polka dots? He wore a necklace that graced his half-bared chest, and he smelled rather wonderful as he sidled up next to him and draped an arm around his shoulder.

“Hello, Tom! Are we having trouble here?” 

“Hello Harry! Do you know this girl?”

Harry’s eyes twinkled like a thousand suns as he smiled down at Louis and moved his arm to rest on his waist. “This is my date! See, we are even color coordinated!”

“Well, in that case, no, there is no trouble!” He looked down pretending to count his money and waved them through. “Have fun.”

“My hero,” Louis whispered in his ear as they entered the crowd of couples and groups of people dancing to the loud, vibrating music. Black lights flashed from corners of the room and a glitter ball twirled from the ceiling.

“Come, love, let me get you a drink!” Harry guided him by the waist, and Louis leaned in to the feeling as they glided up to the bar. 

Several fraternity and sorority students that were there gaped at them as they ordered drinks.

“Oh my God….it’s the mystery girl!” One of the boys Louis recognized from Business Ed, an obnoxious one, chortled as he leaned over the bar. “Did you find her shoe?” He cackled loudly.

“You could say that!” Harry answered and giggled at Louis, who wiggled his fingers at the brat.

“I was beginning to think you were a figment of my drunken imagination!”

Harry and Louis took their drinks and moved away to the dance floor.

“Think again!” Louis winked at him over his shoulder.

They heard laughter and hoots behind them as they started swinging their hips to the beat. Harry had his free hand in the air, making eye contact with Louis as he sipped through a straw. Louis stepped a bit closer, glancing up and down from Harry’s rhythmic hips, to his gaping polka-a-dot shirt, to his cherubic but mischievous, glowing face. 

“This is…I can’t even…” 

Harry bounced his shoulders around and widened his eyes in a smirk. “Yeeees?”

“You dance like Mick Jagar!” That’s not what Louis had been thinking.

Harry laughed loudly, eyes still on his partner, then turned in a circle, wiggling his hips, and sipped on his straw again, clearly enjoying himself.

“And you,” he said to Louis, gazing admiringly, “You dance like…”

Louis did his own spin around, but stopped with his back to Harry as he shimmied his hips to the music, then grinned, facing him again.

Harry’s darkened eyes stared back at him, heat radiating off them. 

As the music changed to something salsa-like, Louis placed his free hand on Harry’s shoulder, and Harry his arm around his waist as they shuffled their feet to the beat sliding around the other dancers.

Harry’s hand on him was warm and left a trail of fire, and dammit, could his black jeans be any tighter? His eyes lingered on the damp skin of his throat and open chest, and a yearning for it rose like thunder in his chest and settled down in his lower gut. What was this night? This was just a silly prank spun from a desire to help out a fellow student…who happened to be hot as hell.

Harry’s hand slid an inch lower, and he smiled knowingly at Louis as Louis breathed through his slightly open mouth with eyes that radiated everything he was feeling.

The blond obnoxious frat boy and his partner danced close to them, and when the song ended, he chirped, “Jesus, get a room you two!” 

Louis smiled sweetly up at Harry. “Are all your friends so charming?”

“Hey, how about a partner switch?” The boy’s date was happy to comply, and she quickly stepped over to Harry as Louis found himself being led a few feet away, Harry shrugging at him as he glanced back.

The blond frat boy ogled him drunkenly. “I still can’t believe you’re real, but I shouldn’t have doubted Styles that way!”

Not sure what he meant, Louis just smiled and danced, loath to have the kid’s hands on his hips, but laughing at the fact he was getting another chance to pull a fast one on a ACO brat. The bloke would never know, but there still was poetic justice to it.

He felt Harry’s eyes on them, and looked around the boy’s shoulder at him and the girl. She was giggling nervously as he held her at arm’s length and stared back at him.

“So! I’d ask what you see in Harry, but even I can see that he’s a stud and very rich and all.”

“There’s much more to Harry than his money!” Louis felt the defense come quickly, and it was all he could do to keep from spilling his drink on him.

“Ohhh,” blond brat sing-songed, “I see!” He grinned lecherously, and moved to hold him closer, and OK, this wasn’t happening.

Louis pushed him away with a slap. “No…I don’t think you do!”

Harry was beside him in an instant.

“Hey, what is wrong with you? A guy shares his girl, and you treat her like that?” He tried to keep it lighthearted, but there was a definite thread of annoyance.

Louis reached for Harry’s hand as the guy looked incredulous at Harry.

“Oh, come ON!” 

They didn’t look back, and moved to the opposite end of the dance floor finishing their drinks and tossing the glasses, laughing in spite of themselves.

“Oh, I’d love to show that creep who I really am.” 

“It’s really embarrassing sometimes being associated with some of these people. There are decent folks in the ACO though…they are the quiet ones who just mind their own business.”

“And wear pale green pants.” Louis reached his hand up and ran it down his blond hair, caressing his own upper chest, small smile on his face. Harry watched the motion and blinked up at him, the mood of the moment changing instantly.

“Let’s dance?” Harry lightly touched his waist, and then the music went to “Dude Looks Like A Lady” by Aerosmith. 

“Oh God,” Harry giggled, “What are the odds?”

They had full use of all their appendages, and used all of them as they gleefully jimmied their bodies to the song, so appropriate for the moment. At one point, Louis jammed to himself while Harry danced around him, both hands making sideways peace signs as he moved them across his eyes, grinning appreciatively at him.

“Chick sure can dance!” A nearby dancer was heard over the music.

Louis was having entirely too much fun. How was it that he had ever had negative thoughts about this beautiful, tall, attractive bean of a person, who danced like there was no one watching, whose beautiful green eyes were so expressive, who was both so polite, so chivalrous, yet so disarming and incredibly sexy?

When Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel” started blasting, Harry lip synced with the words, walking backwards and forwards, playfully making eyes at him, Louis grinning at him like the sun, swaying his hips, making pulling motions with his hands. 

The mood on the dance floor went sultry with Madonna, warm sweaty bodies dancing, moving, enjoying the music, enjoying each other, and Louis felt moisture on his hairline and contentment in his soul and spirit as every song felt like a joyous, randy romp. 

They had cocktails between dances, and with every comment thrown their way they giggled conspiratorially at each other, the liquor flowing through their veins and to their head, also high on their little secret.

“There is something very kinky about this whole thing.” Louis said in Harry’s ear as they danced. 

“Very true.” Harry agreed, then leaned close. “Is that it, though? Is it just that we are here having fun fooling the masses?” 

He spoke teasingly, but there was something very earnest about his tone as he leaned back and stared lasers into his eyes. Louis couldn’t answer, but swallowed dryly, suddenly encompassed with a heady feeling that for Harry, there was much more to this little outing of theirs. And he knew he felt the same.

Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing” came on, and Harry kicked it up a notch, lip syncing to the words. 

“I believe in miracles….where you from, you sexy thing!  
I believe in miracles…since you came along, you sexy thing!  
Where did you come from angel? How did you know I needed you?”

It was fun and games, Harry puckering his lips up at the appropriate times, until the line “yesterday I was one of the lonely people…” when Harry clamped his mouth shut and his eyes suddenly filled with moisture. Louis stared intently, his heart in his throat…oh Harry. Harry continued dancing, shaking his head at himself and laughing at the ceiling, finishing the song with extra dramatics. 

There was a different aura about the night after that as it wound down. Louis couldn’t get Harry’s look out of his head. People around them folded into each other’s circles, the crowd thinning a little, the unspoken feeling that the night was going to be “over soon.” They found themselves encompassed in their own little bubble. 

“I’ll Take You There” added to the ambiance, and Harry pulled him close, his head resting on Louis’s shoulder. Louis forgot about everybody, instead just aware of how good it felt to feel Harry against him, smell his smell, the idea that they were fooling the whole dance club far from his mind. They lazily swayed together, their own little circle taking on an intense intimate quality. Harry’s eyes traveling over his body as they danced, and every look felt like a caress; suddenly the look simply wasn’t enough.

“Let’s do shots,” Louis suggested and led him to the bar. 

When they reached for their glasses, Louis said “Wait!” He reached for Harry’s arm and asked the bartender for a salt shaker. 

“I think body shots are in order.” A little sinister grin appeared as he locked on Harry’s. Harry blinked back at him, slightly flustered for a moment, then flickered in agreement. Louis lowered his mouth to the ship tattoo, and licked his tongue over it. Harry’s little intake of air wasn’t lost on him as he sprinkled the area with salt and licked again, both of them locking eyes and downing their shots. 

“We’ll both have one more,” Harry asked, and then said quietly to Louis, “My turn.”

With shots in hand, Harry stepped close to Louis and draped his blond hair over to one side, letting his fingers brush the back of his neck. Every inch of Louis’s senses tingled. Harry blinked passionately at the area of his neck below his ear for a moment as he bent over, then Louis felt his full, sensuous lips on the sensitive skin right where his neck met his shoulder; he shuddered as Harry swiped his tongue, wet and sweet. 

Then came the salt, and their eyes met as Harry bent again, and there was hunger in them. He took his time licking every kernel, his tongue swirling on the spot, and Louis’s groin was suddenly in pain, swollen against the dick strap he had worn again.

“Jesus Christ.” He whispered in Harry’s ear.

The first notes of George Harrison’s “Something” brought lovers to the dance floor. 

Louis wordlessly took Harry’s hand and led him to the edge of the crowd, Harry happily gathering him up in his arms. Louis had both arms around Harry, one on his mid back, one a bit lower. 

Louis felt himself trembling. While he had had his fair share of physical relationships, he never remembered feeling this sensual, this intimate, merely at the very touch of someone. There was something a little frightening about it, though in a confusingly good way.

After a few bars of the song, he felt Harry step closer so that their thighs brushed, and one of Harry’s hands rested on the very small of his back. Louis leaned in and rested his cheek in Harry’s shoulder, his mouth very close to his neck, his breath coming in quick spurts across his skin. He felt Harry quiver underneath him and pull him just a little closer, and there was no resistance in him.

As they danced, he felt Harry’s heart beat wildly…or was that his own? Every slight move of Harry’s hand sent shivers of desire through him, and as he breathed against Harry’s neck and leaned in closer, Harry pressed their bodies together, his hand slipping down to his upper bum, their groins flush. He felt the hardened bulge against him, and damn, what were they going to do? 

“Do you like this song?” Harry whispered raggedly in his ear. “Are you ready to go home?”

Louis’s heart rammed against his chest as he answered, “I…yes.”

In the back seat of the fancy black Oldsmobile, Harry directed the driver, replaced the privacy screen, and then leaned back, one arm resting on the top of the seat behind Louis. He started drawing little circles on Louis upper arm with a finger. 

Louis closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Harry,” he croaked, “I can’t believe this is happening?”

Harry leaned close chewing mint gum in his ear, the fading essence of his cologne and his body scent making Louis dizzy, and whispered, “Me either…”

“I mean…I’m not 100% sure what IS happening exactly.”

Harry grinned, and brushed his lips under his jawline. “Me either.”

Louis breathed, and let the velvety softness of Harry’s lips send shivers of desire through him. Then his voice whispered in Louis’s ear, “I just know I don’t want to go home tonight...”

Louis turned his mouth to him, lips an inch away from the pink, plumped mouth, and an image flashed in his brain that caused blood to rush to his groin. He locked eyes with Harry, read the passion in them, and slid a hand to his thigh, watching as the passion flamed. 

“Me either.” He answered.

They stared at one another’s lips and eyes, which were full of wonder at the moment, lips almost touching, and their breath coming shorter in little puffs against one another.

“I…” Harry began, “there is a hotel…” The hand on Louis’s upper arm ran up and down along it, his eyes hopeful and fearful at the same time.

“God, you’re beautiful,” Louis whispered close enough to almost touch him. He felt Harry’s other hand cover the hand he had on his leg.

“Is that a yes?” He asked, and brushed his lips against Louis’, Louis tightening his grip on his thigh.

“Yes…” Louis answered, trembling, and felt Harry move his hand up until it met his groin, caressing it softly and then their lips moved together, Louis shifting in his seat, his groin rebelling against the strap that contained him.

Harry moved away, an unbelieving smile on his face, and turned to open the partition window. “To the Marriot on Stover street, please!”

The driver nodded, and Harry closed the door again, a bit short of breath, and grinned a little.

“See, it’s not so bad having someone to drive you around now, is it?” Harry teased.

“There are many things I am rethinking since meeting you, Harry.”

Harry cozied up to him again.

“I can’t wait for you to take off the wig.”

Louis smiled. “Is that all?”

Harry grinned widely at him, teeth and eyes glowing, then licked his lips and leaned back against the car seat, facing him. 

“I just want you to know,” he began softly, “that I don’t make a habit of this. Not that I’m a prude or anything, but I…I don’t want you to think that I…um…just have a taxi and hotel available at the drop of a hat, or that I...”

Louis put a finger over his lips.

“Harry…I’m…I’m just amazed that someone like you cares about what I think. And when I say someone like you, I don’t mean someone rich. I mean…I mean...”

Harry flicked his tongue out at his finger, then put his mouth around the tip, sucking off the end of it.

Louis had had something nice to say...well, now he just wanted to get to the Marriot.

Harry smiled softly at him.

“What do you mean, Louis?”

Without breaking eye contact, Louis lifted the finger, and, stretching his tongue out, licked Harry’s spit off like a cat, then put it in his own mouth, sucking all the way down to the knuckle and back.

Harry’s teasing eyes flickered to desire.

Despite their groping and teasing in the back of the vehicle, when they stepped into the plush hotel room and hung their outer garments on the chair, there was a quiet, “are we really here” chemistry between them that spoke of the incredulity of the moment. Louis was literally aching for him, and they were here in this room for one reason, but somehow he suddenly felt like an inexperienced virgin.

Harry opened one of the dresser drawers and removed a tall, thick candle, placing it by the bedside and lighting it; immediately the scent of sandalwood emanated the air. Next he went to the stereo system and checked the CD compartment, approved it, and pushed play. Instrumental music flowed through the speakers that accentuated everything Louis was feeling from his head to his little feet.

“So,” he said huskily as Harry approached him, “you are romantic, too.”

Harry wordlessly stood close in front of him, eyes melting into his own, and reached up and removed his blond wig.

Louis swallowed and breathed deeply. “So…no Lily?”

Harry ran a hand over Louis’s hair, letting it rest on the back of his neck.

“No…I want Louis.”

He stepped closer so that their bodies were flush, both of them watching the other lick their lips. Louis’s breath came in short, quick puffs as Harry slid his other hand up his skirt and slowly started removing the nylons, fingers playing against his skin. He knelt down in front of him, slipping them off his feet, and slowly stood, hands never leaving his body. 

Eyes locked, he then started playing with the top of the strap, and ran his thumb down his hardened length. Louis closed his eyes, put his face and lips in Harry’s neck, and moaned a little. “Harry…”

Then Harry removed the strap, freeing Louis’s painful, throbbing cock. It dropped to the ground, and as he kicked it aside, Harry’s hand was firm on the top of his bum, sliding down to cup it completely.

“Fuck, Harry…” Louis croaked, and then their lips came together, Harry’s tentatively tasting, then slightly open, warm and inviting. Louis slipped his tongue in and they explored each other’s mouths, their bodies against each other, and heat exploded through Louis as Harry’s fingers pressed against his crease. Then need for Harry’s bare skin growled like an avalanche.

“Take my pants off, please.” Harry moaned against his mouth as if reading his thoughts.

Almost as if reaching to touch something precious and forbidden, Louis’ hands moved down the front of Harry’s shirt between them and undid the pants snap. He locked eyes with Harry and his hands trembled as he fumbled with the zipper.

“Just in case you need confirmation,” Harry whispered huskily, “I am totally gay. I like men. I’ve never wanted to be with a woman.” There was a catch to his voice as he added, “Being here with you tonight is like this amazing gift.”

Louis finished unzipping him and slid Harry’s jeans off; his swollen organ sprung against him immediately as the jeans were discarded. Harry easily slipped Louis’s skirt off, his hands caressing Louis’s hips, their cocks rubbing against one another as they finished undressing each other, tongues in each other’s mouths.

Then they were skin against skin, every nerve on Louis’s body pricked with the sensuality and desire of it. He pulled his mouth away, breath heavy, desire in his eye and face as he gazed down at Harry’s chest and ran his hands over the butterfly tattoo, followed with his lips, feeling the perfect, warm, beautiful skin, looked at their intertwined dicks, Harry’s gorgeous red tip full and inviting. 

“Harry,” and all that mattered was how desperately he wanted him. He kissed his way to Harry’s naval. “Harry, you are overwhelming…I’ve never wanted a taste so badly.”

“I’d love to be tasted.” He answered hoarsely.

Harry had one hand at the base of his shaft, Louis running his hands down the sides of his hips as he kissed his way down and knelt in front of him. He grasped his own cock as he placed his lips over Harry’s swollen head, and felt Harry’s hands grasp his hair, a low growl escaping him, and started sucking, swirling his tongue around the end.

“Louis, fuck, that feels so good.”

His other hand massaged Harry’s balls and his fingers explored his crease and the area close to his anal opening as his mouth moved up his fully-hardened cock. He heard Harry gasp loudly.

“Agh…agh, Jesus…”

Louis pulled off, spit in his hand, and started pumping himself…he couldn’t help it, fuck, he was so turned on. He slipped his lips tightly back over the tip and sucked harder, going up and down Harry’s fully engorged organ, then pulled his lips tightly off the end and looked up. Harry’s face was turned up to the ceiling, moisture on his neck and chest, eyes closed, damp ringlets on his ears, breathing heavily through rounded, red lips, a frustrated moan escaping him.

“Harry, you are so fucking sexy.”

He felt Harry desperately grasping his hair, and as he put his mouth back on to completely envelope him, Harry’s hips shuddered and he cried, “Oh my God.” He felt pressure behind his head as Harry’s hands encouraged him, moving with him through his movements. His hand moved over his own cock quickly and he felt the pressure mounting in his lower belly. The tip of Harry’s cock pushed against his throat, and he sucked harder, mascara-streaked tears on his cheeks, because pleasuring Harry was the most incredible, ferociously sexy experience of his life. 

“Louis, I’m gonna…oh fuck, I’m going to come.” 

Louis sucked his way down and off his cock, and a ragged cry sounded through the room just before the hot, sticky liquid shot up and onto his neck. Louis put his mouth back on Harry as he started to come down, and continued to rapidly wank himself, nearing his own orgasm. He pulled off Harry and looked up at his beautiful, post orgasm face as he cried to the heavens and came all over the expensive, hotel carpeting. “Harry. FUCK.” He gasped and breathed raggedly, still kneeling, Harry still trying to catch his breath as he blinked his eyes open and looked down into his. 

His faced shown wonderment and complete contentment as he slowly smiled through his deep breathing. Then he reached down to help Louis stand up, and they faced each other, standing there, damp hair, breathing heavily on one another, looking at one another’s body as if to memorize every couture and line, Harry’s cum shimmering on Louis’ neck and chest.

Might not have been the prettiest sex scene ever, but damn, it had sure felt good.

Harry put his hands on both sides of his face and stepped close. 

“Do you know how beautiful you are? Or how lucky I feel right now?” Harry asked him, still in a dreamy state of post orgasm.

All Louis could do was breath on him, his hands traveling up his arms. Then he said, “Shower?”

They stood together in the large stall surrounded by porcelain tile and let the hot steamy jets of water pound over them, washing away the outer layer of cum and sweat. Louis reached for the lime-cucumber body gel and squirted it in his hands, rubbing to create a scented lubrication. He smiled at Harry, blinking water from his eyelashes, and started at Harry’s chest, rubbing the lather as he went. Harry smiled appreciatively. 

“What, no wash cloth?”

“I want to feel you.” Louis answered.

“Oh…I...” And Harry also reached for the gel and did the same.

“Louis…” Harry said while soaping down his lower spine, “You have the most beautiful curves.” Both hands ran over his buttocks, and he looked him in the eye as one set of fingers smoothed up and down his crack, all the way to the back of his balls, and Louis felt himself stir.

“Do you like that?” Harry asked in a teasing but serious way.

“Silly, silly, boy…in case you need confirmation, I am a gay man.” He flicked soap at Harry’s face, and they both giggled. 

They took their time exploring each other, washing each other’s bodies, making eye contact as they explored every inch of each other’s anatomy, enjoying the feel of the other’s hands on them; it was an intimate, heady experience.

After rinsing and drying off, they grabbed bottled water from the mini fridge and slid into the massive bed, naked under the sheets.

“If my friends could see me now!” Harry giggled as they both took long drinks, and Louis looked sideways at him. 

“If you say this was all a joke to entertain your friends, I will have to hurt you.”

Harry laughed loudly, and slid over close to him.

“You know that’s not true…I’m not that mean, like some OTHER people I know!”

“Oh, good, you’re a cuddler!” Louis took another drink, then set his bottle on the side table. Turned on his side and brought his arm over Harry’s head onto his pillow, playing with his wet strands of hair. 

“You don’t even know the HALF of it, pumpkin.” Louis said playfully. “The original plan was to moon our junk to everybody and make fools out of all the poor frat brats who would be scandalized over falling for dudes in drag.”

“What!” Harry sat up, mouth wide open. “Seriously? Oh my God!”

“It’s true!” 

“I have an insane man in my bed.” He lay back down, facing Louis, eyes shining. “So, why did you abort?”

“You know why…I figured the jig was up when you said you knew me.”

Harry smiled knowingly and walked his fingers up Louis’s chest. “Is that the only reason?”

Louis replied sheepishly. “Well, it would have been a little embarrassing to flash myself while I had a woody going on…”

“Bahahahaha!” Harry burst out laughing.

Louis slapped him. “Shut up!”

“Awww…that’s cute, actually!”

“It’s NOT cute. Besides…” He looked demurely down where Harry’s belly met the bed sheets. “That’s not the biggest reason. Your comments about why your mother made the jackets really got to me…and about how things weren’t always as they seem…”

He hesitated, and Harry suddenly sobered, reaching down to lift his face.

“I just…I just couldn’t go through with it, although my roommate was pissed off. I thought about what you said a lot after that...probably because of my own mother.”

Harry cradled his chin, and Louis stared into eyes that flashed a thousand different little thoughts.

“I know…surprise! I’m just a big sap.”

“Louis…” Harry began earnestly.

“Yup! A big sap…mom says it’s because…”

Harry, hand still holding his face, leaned forward and shut him up with a kiss that started soft, exploring and tasting his lips, his hand traveling from his cheek down his neck. 

Explosions burst through Louis’s brain as he kissed him back, opening his mouth allowing Harry’s tongue to slip in and find his own. The warm, strong touch of Harry’s hand moved from his neck down his chest, his thumbs rubbing across, around, and into his nipples, and electric jolts ran down his belly.

“Louis,” he breathed between kisses. “Do you know how lovely you are? Inside and out? Your body is a wonderland…that was written about you.”

“Hmmm…” He hummed into Harry’s mouth as he opened his wider, wanting as much of Harry as he could taste, and his own hands found their way across Harry’s body; Harry’s muscles, Harry’s soft hips, the course hair that began at his lower belly, Harry’s nipples, and his own hand was blessed…very blessed to know Harry. 

Harry’s tongue twisted around his own like a hungry vine, his kisses hungrier, yet his lips softer if that were possible. He felt Harry’s hand slide down to his low back and slowly run up and down his buttock, almost reverently, his fingers tickling his anus.

A streak of heat followed Harry’s fingers, and Louis felt his body start to respond again.

“Harry,” he breathed into his mouth, his breath ragged, his eyes almost desperate. “Nobody has ever touched me like you do.”

“And how do I touch you Louis?” 

“Like…” He felt Harry’s hand on his inner thigh, his thumb making circles as he worked his way up. He swallowed and took a deep breath. “Like I’m some kind of precious thing. Like I’m the lottery or something.”

Harry slowly ran his hand up and down his leg, each time getting a little higher, until he got to the area behind his balls.

“You are exactly that.” He answered, and began messaging the spot, his hand cupping, thumb needing. Louis felt himself harden, and Harry began sucking on his chest, tongue kissing down to his naval. 

“I didn’t get a chance to pleasure you earlier. I’d really like to pleasure you, Louis.”

Louis dug his fingers in Harry’s hair as Harry brushed against his hardening head, shifting to run one hand down each hip and inner thigh as his tongue and lips worked their way across Louis lower belly. Every touch, every word Harry spoke, seemed to add another level of hot desire.

“Harry,” Louis said tightly, “You are so damn good.”

Harry climbed his way back up to meet Louis’s face, eyes full of playful sensuality, his own cock bumping against Louis’s, but a sincere timbre in his voice as he said. “I mean every word I say.” He licked his way back down, and it seemed Louis would drown in Harry’s touch, Harry’s tongue, Harry’s lips. 

“I believe you,” he whispered roughly, chest heaving with his breathing, his hips tilting up as his hands continued to nestle in Harry’s hair, his growing lust begging for contact. “Harry…”

Then he felt his tongue run up the back of his stiffening cock, and the moist, full lips around his sensitive head, and he cried out quietly with a gasp, “Harry, my god…”

He looked down at the incredibly hot picture before him as the lips, the tongue worked their magic, and he fully engorged as fell back and his loud gasps filled the room. The hands massaged him in all the right places, and he cried out in a loud, raspy bark as his orgasm came quickly.

“Fuck, Harry, I’m…”

Harry stayed on him, and he had never experienced anything so goddamn sensual in his life.

“Ahhhh….Jesus Christ, Harry!” Maybe the neighbors heard him, but that was their privilege.

He breathed in heavy gasps as he came down, sweat glistening on his chest, Harry’s mouth still on him, and then quieter, “Harry…my god…”

Harry finally slipped off him and climbed, hands and knees, licking cum off his lips, until his face was above Louis’s, both of them gasping, eyes locked, Louis’s in amazing thankful astonishment, Harry’s in a satisfied, playful wonderment, lust glinting. Louis looked down to see his beautiful, fully hardened cock poking him in the belly.

He locked eyes with him again, and there was a question in Harry’s eyes as he raised his eyebrows.

“God,” Louis rasped, “do you…”

Then Harry’s eyes lit with fire as he smiled and answered, “Yes…”

Louis was whistling as he entered the house, clean shaven, eyes bright, fringe delicately brushed aside. His clothes were suspiciously large looking, jeans rolled up above his Toms. What was left of Cinderella was stuffed in the bag he carried, and he waltzed to his room to dump it. 

The Sunday morning paper was strewn across the coffee table, and both Steve and Zayn popped up from their lunch at the kitchen table.

“What is going ON Casanova?” Zayn asked, eyeing his clothes.

“Oh, I just had a little get away weekend…”

Steve walked over and picked up the local variety section of the paper, and held up page two. “We can see that.” He spoke with a glint in his eye.

And damn if there wasn’t a picture of him and Harry on the dance floor at the club, with the caption “ACO Casanova reunites with his Cinderella, so reports those in the know from the fraternity at Norton College. We still don’t know her name, but we are sure Harry Styles does! Read on for the delightful story.”

Louis’s felt himself flame read. “Well…I guess maybe that was why Harry’s phone inbox was full today.”

They both stared at Louis with a frozen expression.

“You’ve…been with Harry Styles all weekend?” Zayn squawked at him.

Louis grinned conspiratorially and wiggled his eyebrows. “Yup!”

Zayn whipped his head to Steve and then back to Louis, mouth open, and it was a priceless moment.

“But,” Zayn sputtered, and turned back to Steve. “Steve, say something!”

“I think Louis just said it all.” He laughed, hands on his hips, bending over with glee.

“But that means he knows…”

He looked back at Louis incredulously, and finally noticed Louis’s pink cheeks, sparkling blue eyes, and glowing smile that radiated through the room.

When Zayn just blinked at him, he rubbed his hands together and cleared his throat.

“This is top secret guys, but Harry and I are, um, in a relationship.”

Zayn continued to stare, and Steve clapped his hands.

“Whoop!” Steve cried, and reached to give him a bear hug.

“What…how?” Zayn asked, a slow smile turning as stepped to join them.

“Harry is…not straight. He can’t be out right now because of his father, and I only have permission to tell you guys, so I trust you.”

“Well, God damn,” Zayn chortled in disbelief, shaking Louis’s shoulders. “So when did you….”

Louis turned to Zayn with a sheepish grin. “I think it started with the costume party.”

Zayn slapped his own forehead. “Shit, it all makes sense now, oh my God Louis…are you telling us that you and he…”

Louis held his arms out to his side and twirled around, face to the ceiling. “I have never been so joyfully fucked in my entire life.”

They all cackled joyfully and gave each other high fives.

“Steve, you suspected something, didn’t you.” Zayn said with a little look of remorse. “Don’t I feel like shit for having little clue.”

“Zayn, there is no time for sadness! I just had the best weekend of my life. You guys, Harry is nothing like we thought. He is brave and kind, and…” He sighed deeply. “He’s lovely, really.”

Zayn studied his face. “Oh, shit, you are like…this is so bizarre. Wait, this is deserving of a pow-wow, let me get my stash.” 

They spent the rest of the afternoon smoking weed and letting Louis catch them all up with everything, and it all seemed so surreal; as it turned out, the costume party bust had been the best idea they had ever had. 

Louis couldn’t help himself when he wore a pair of light-green pants to school Monday in reference to Harry’s presentation the previous week. Nobody, of course, made the connection but Harry, and Harry’s knowing look felt delicious.

The halls at school were buzzing about the club picture in the paper, and the Cinderella story, and even people not associated with ACO knew about “that Harry Styles guy and his mystery girl.” Louis found smug satisfaction in it all. 

Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined this when the school year had started, and he had first seen harry step out of that limo. He had never been more wrong about anybody. 

Yes, it would be great when Harry would be able to tell the world about himself; he wanted to be there for that moment very badly. Though he wasn’t sure if he and Harry would be a “forever” thing, at the moment, he couldn’t imagine ever wanting to be with anybody else. 

“So…” Harry texted him that week. “My dad is chomping at the bit to meet my new girl. He’s delirious, I knew that would happen.”

“What about your mom?”

“Sigh…she’s supportive if I am happy, but I can tell the doubt in her voice. I don’t dare tell her the truth because I don’t want to create more problems between them.”

“It’ll be all right. I’m sure she will understand. You only have one more year to get through school.”

He didn’t hear back from Harry for several minutes, and then...

“The fraternity Christmas Holiday party is coming up on the 15th. My parents plan to be there at Dad’s insistence to meet…my girl.” 

“That’s coming up soon…I’ll have to freshen my wig!”

There was another pause before Harry answered.

“You sure you are ok with this?”

Louis made a face at his phone.

“Of course! That was the plan! No, it isn’t a perfect situation, but it’s not like it’s your choice Harry. Once he meets Lily, you can get him off your back. She never has to see him again…she’s a busy student, after all.”

“Ha ha. Good points. Louis…”

“Yeeeees?”

“I’m really glad you’re here.”

There was so much in that simple little statement. Visions of their weekend persisted, and he wanted to be with him again so badly.

“Me too babe…me too.”

Des Styles sipped his whiskey and smoked a cigar as he spoke to a few faculty members, chuckling heartily, his wife Anne looking lovely and shaking hands with students who came to greet her. Most of them were adorned in a formal version of the fraternity’s jacket, black silk, and logo on the pocket with red kerchief.

The room was decked in genuine evergreen, and its aroma wafted through the room, competing with the cigars that were allowed. Dozens of Poinsettias and Holly berries graced the periphery and refreshment tables…if you can call sliced lamb, mint jelly, stuffed oysters and caviar “refreshments.”

Contemporary Christmas music blared loudly, and the room was filling with students who took advantage of all the champagne that flowed freely, thanks to Des Styles. Mr. Styles started looking frequently towards the door, expecting his son any minute.

Outside the inner doors, Louis, as Lily, grasped Harry’s arm, Harry’s hand resting on top of his. 

“You look fantastic, Harry.”

“You’ve said that a million times.”

“Still true.”

“Are you ready, gorgeous?” Harry smiled down at him.

“Let’s go.”

They opened the doors and walked in, and all the expected head turning and attention sucked to them like a magnet. Harry’s father puffed up and grinned like the Cheshire cat, but then his face faltered as he took in Harry’s choice of clothing.

He wore a Christmas-red jacket, beautifully tailored, and on the pocket was the dark, dark green embroidered HES. His white smile flashed and he waved at those who gawked a bit and then started clapping.

“Harry! The jacket is great, but the Cinderella is better!”

He reached down and kissed Louis chastely on the mouth to woots and clamors, then led Louis, who was dressed in a creamy, satin cocktail dress, to his parents.

His mother Anne mouthed “Oh, Harry,” when she saw the jacket, moisture in her eyes, and she held her arms out as he swooped in to kiss her cheek and give her a hug. “You look marvelous!”

He shook his father’s hand as his dad looked him up and down. “That’s a hell of a jacket, but it’s good to see you son!”

He looked over and smiled over at Louis, who smiled back. 

“And now, I’d love to meet this pretty lady!”

Harry put an arm around Louis’s waist. 

“Mom, dad, this is my very special someone, Lily. Lily….this is my mother, and this is my father.”

Anne watched Harry as he spoke, and she looked into his eyes a moment before turning to Louis and offering a hug. 

“It is good to meet you Lily. I hope you know how special my son is.”

“Indeed I do,” he answered in his female voice, feeling his cheeks flush, smiling encouragingly.

“Well!” Des stepped up and also hugged him. “It is great to finally meet you, my dear. I was beginning to think Harry here was all talk!”

Anne pressed her lips together, then laughed, looking between them.

“Don’t listen to my husband; he’s the one who is all talk.”

“That’s quite all right,” Louis answered her, the sweetest expression on his face, but fire underlining his words, “those of us who know Harry, know he is much more than that!”

Anne smiled at him slowly, a gleam in her eye. “You know, I think I’m going to like you, Lily.”

Des chuckled heartily, but Louis was sure his back molars were clenched. Louis turned to Harry, and kissed his cheek. “I’d love to dance now, sweetheart.”

Des made a motion with his hand. “Go! Have fun you two!”

“We’ll talk to you later!” Harry called as he took Louis by the hand and led him to the champagne table.

He poured two glasses as several fraternity boys gathered around them.

“So, this is Cinderella!” 

“What is your real name?”

“Harry, I am really happy for you, this is so romantic!”

“I can’t believe this is real!”

“Where are your step sisters?”

Harry handed a glass to Louis, and they locked eyes, and despite their surroundings, sparks flew between them as they each sipped from the glass and licked their lips. He then put his arm around him and faced the crowd.

“Her name is Lily. And before anybody gets any ideas, she is all mine tonight.”

There were whistles and clapping, and somebody started tapping a spoon on a glass, which meant they were asking them to kiss.

Harry happily complied, placing his free hand behind Louis’s neck, their eyes meeting briefly, before Harry leaned down, kissing him in earnest, Louis’s lips warmly matching his. Despite the crowd, the taste and touch of Harry sent him, and the kiss lingered, Louis sure that he felt it too.

The crowd roared, and they finally pulled apart, smiling conspiratorially between them, and then a puzzled longing crossed Harry’s face.

“What, you two already need a room!”

“The whole sister sorority is going to go into mourning.”

Harry guided Louis away from the crowd and kept a hand on his hip as they swayed to “All I Want for Christmas,” sipping his drink with the other.

“They are right, you know,” Louis, as Lily, whispered to him. “Now that we’ve made our appearance, all I want to do is be with you.”

“What!” Harry grinned evilly. “And miss out on the caviar?”

They chuckled, and Harry pulled him close. Louis felt him tremble slightly, his heart racing.

“Harry, you are the only caviar I need!” 

“Oh God,” He answered in his ear, “You are so silly.”

They giggled and danced closely, enjoying the warmth of each other, forgetting why they were here, Harry’s hand on his low back, long fingers on his bum. He nestled his face and lips in Harry’s neck, and they danced like that until the song was over.

As they pulled apart, more clapping and hooting sounded behind them, and there was no denying the sound of Des’ joyous jaunting with members of the faculty. They stood staring at one another, blinking into each other’s eyes.

“You want to go get a bite to eat and then get out of here?” Harry asked him, and Louis knew he wasn’t just motivated by passion. 

“I’ll do whatever you want.”

Harry led him by the hand, Louis swinging on his heels, to the table where the food was displayed, and each started dishing up a plate. He was starting to get hungry, but passed on the caviar…it had no appeal to him at all, really. The lamb was served in convenient, bite-sized chunks, and he tried that with mint jelly on the side, along with some pieces of fruit.

He looked up to follow Harry as he nodded towards his mother, and Louis noticed beads of sweat on his forehead. Was it warm in here? Was he nervous? He slipped a hand in his purse and pulled out a tissue, stopping him to pat his brow. Harry fluttered his eyelashes at him.

“Aren’t you sweet,” he teased, Louis smiling back.

“Are you OK?” 

“I am fine. I’m just finding this crowd to be more…tiresome than I anticipated.”

“I totally get it.” 

They stood by Harry’s mother and started picking away at their food, and she was charming personified, finally looking up at Harry as he chewed a piece of lamb.

“Harry, you really seem to be smitten with this girl.” She said, trying to pretend Louis wasn’t right behind them, eating a strawberry. “Whatever makes you happy, you know that’s what I want.” He eyes were full of compassion, and Louis’s heart broke a little.

He felt Harry start to cough, and then looked up to see him go white as a sheet, new beads of sweat popping on his forehead, and he no longer was able to make a noise.

“Harry!” His mother screeched, “I think he’s choking!”

Harry’s hands went up to his neck, his eyes bugging, his face becoming red, and before he could think, Louis dropped his plate and came up behind him to give him the Heimlich. His own heart beat wildly as he began thrusting his fist into Harry’s belly, the shock of the crowd now horrified as Harry continued choking, and then he fell forward onto the floor slumping over onto his back, his limbs sprawled, his face lifeless.

“Harry!” Louis screamed, kneeling beside him, hand shaking his chest. “Harry!” He screamed again, and looked up to find the nearest person. 

“Call 911!” he commanded.

When the person just stared back in complete shock, he screamed at him. “Did you hear me? Call 911, dammit!” 

Someone finally opened their phone.

He visibly shook as he tried to remember his CPR, and opened Harry’s mouth to see if he could see anything. Nope. He felt for a pulse, and when he couldn’t find one, started with compressions. He positioned himself over Harry’s sternum, his hands and elbows locked, and started pushing hard and fast on his chest, the blond hair flying. 

He heard Harry’s mother crying, and his father hollered something like, “Do you know what you are doing?”

He just continued, counting to 30, and then…

“Come on, Harry, come on,” as he tilted his chin to open his air way and give him two long breaths mouth to mouth, looking to make sure his chest was rising. He moved back to doing compressions, and tears started down his cheeks.

“What the fuck, come on Harry, come on!” He shouted to him, not noticing that despite everything, people were staring at him.

As he moved over and started to give breaths again, he felt Harry tremble beneath him, and then a loud, long wheezing cough came from him. He tried to turn on his side, reaching with a hand, and the relief Louis felt was insane. Tears streamed as he helped harry turn on his side and continue coughing, and finally he was able to breath, his color coming back.

Louis grabbed him by the shoulder as Harry’s parents drew close. Anne had her hand over her mouth, tears streaming, and Des looked very shook…relieved, but shook…and was staring intently at him.

“Harry, you scared the SHIT out of me…are you all right?”

Harry rubbed an eye with the heal of his hand, and slowly sat up, blinking at him. “I’m a little woozy, but otherwise I’m…” He stared at Louis, taking deep breaths to test his lungs.

“An ambulance is on its way.” He stated, rubbing Harry’s shoulders, and Harry’s eyes widened at him; that’s when he sensed something was amiss. Everyone was looking at him instead of Harry. A few had their hands over their mouths.

That’s when he realized he had been talking in his normal voice. He suddenly couldn’t breathe, and he felt like Rose when she first knew the ship was going to sink. He locked eyes with Harry, terrified he had given him away. 

The expression Harry returned was so full of tenderness, love, and a stubborn pride, that Louis blinked back in confusion. A steely determination joined the group of emotions as Harry smiled ever so slightly and flickered his eyes briefly to the top of his wig, which had miraculously stayed in place, and back again. Louis read the look and returned the little smile, his heart exploding with pride, and gave a little nod.

Harry reached up and promptly pulled off the wig, their eyes locked as the crowd gasped as one.

Harry’s mother had a hand on her chest, another on her mouth as tears continued to flow.

Des stepped forward. “Thank you for saving my son, but what the fuck is going on here?”

Harry held out a hand to Louis, seeking help to stand up, feeling his legs a moment to make sure he wouldn’t get dizzy. The ambulance could be heard in the background. He put an arm around Louis’s waist, now sans wig, and lifted his chin. In the post-gasp quiet of the room, he spoke to his father loudly so people could hear.

“This is actually my boyfriend, Louis Tomlinson. I’m a gay man.”

The crowd gasped again and started murmuring, and his father stared, his reddened face a mixture of shock and anger, speechless. As his mother wept and hugged him fiercely, Louis thought he would burst; he had never felt prouder of anyone in his life. 

Turning to the crowd, tears poking at his eyes, he smiled, wiggling his eyebrows. The blond bloke who had danced with him stood gawking horrifically, and Louis winked at him and waved; even with tears in his eyes, he was sure he bore the smuggest expression of his life.

 

The paramedics came and did a thorough check up as Des shooed the crowd away and Harry’s mother and Louis stood by him. She looked tearfully to Louis, and hugged him. “Thank you…I can tell you care for my son very much.”

Louis felt his throat choking as the truth of the statement coursed through him. “I do…yes, I do.”

Harry and Louis decided to come back to the party later on when Louis had washed and changed, Louis now in a black suit with red kerchief, his hair slicked back with gel. Harry couldn’t stop looking at him.

“God, you’re gorgeous…I like you much better this way.”

They stood in the hall before going into the party, the music behind the doors now changed to regular dance. It felt wonderful to be there as themselves. Louis took Harry’s hand and squeezed it, smiling proudly up at him.

“Though I may miss Lily a little,” Harry added teasingly.

Louis narrowed his eyes at him, but pierced his lips smugly. “If you’re good, she may come out every once in a while.”

Harry laughed. “Naw; keep her in the closet.”

They took a deep breath and walked through the doors as Tupelo Honey began playing through the speakers. Louis didn’t know what to expect, but really wasn’t prepared for what greeted them; after all, this was an ACO party. 

When people turned and realized who it was that had entered, one by one they started applauding with cheers, some in shocked smiles, some in grim admiration, many giving thumbs up. 

Not everybody greeted them; there were those who pretended not to see, those that shook their heads, those too busy drinking and dancing, but there was enough to make a noise, a joyful noise, where Louis had expected none. He and Harry waved and gaped at one another as they moved into the room.

“You’re an angel,” Harry whispered into his ear, “as sweet as Tupelo honey.”

“Just like honey from a bee.” Louis answered, licking his lips.

They danced the last few feet to the bar, and Louis knew he heard a few “awwws.” 

Several came up to them as they got a drink, just to say they were glad Harry was ok, and that they were happy they came back.

One young man in his blue ACO blazer shook both their hands and went straight to the point.

“Jesus, that took guts Harry. I just want to say I think you guys are great.” He looked at Louis. “I always hated all that shit back in freshman year. A lot of us did, by the way. You may not know this, but you have some admirers in the ACO.”

“Thank you,” Louis answered sincerely, eyes blinking moisture. “I know I can be a little obnoxious…”

“When I say admirers, I mean ACO guys who laughed like hell behind closed doors at all the pranks you pulled last year on their own brothers.” He winked and clunked his drink against Louis’s, and they all laughed. Apparently there were some who HAD suspected it was him behind the pranks. 

The first notes of “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You,” by Elvis Presley began, and many couples started dancing.

Harry smiled broadly, and taking Louis’s nearly empty drink from him, placed both their cups on the counter. “That is very enlightening, Randy! But I would really love to dance with Louis to this song.”

“Have fun!” 

Louis slid his hand on Harry’s low back, and they glided out to the floor, then were in each the other’s arms. This was their first dance out in public together, and that made it emotional enough, but to dance to one of the most romantic songs ever sung, by the best crooner to croon, was almost too much.

Their foreheads together, bodies against each other, their eyes locked.

“Harry…” he whispered, swallowing dryly.

“Yes?” Harry answered, watching his lips a moment.

In answer, Louis held him closer and placed his face into Harry’s chest, lips tasting his smell. Harry rested one hand on the top of his bum and nuzzled his neck, kissing him gently. “Me too.” They cradled each other that way for the rest of the song.

 

“There’s somebody here today,” Adam spoke into the mic at the December Rainbow Regime meeting, “who has a testimony to give. Please welcome Mr. Harry Styles!” He stepped back and led the applause, and Louis whistled and clapped the loudest, Steve and Zayn also at the meeting clapping beside him.

Harry stepped to the mic and tapped it, a half grin on his face.

“I’m a little nervous.”

Soft chuckling in the audience.

“But I am so happy to be here. I don’t need to tell you too much about my inner struggles; you are all familiar with that I’m sure. I do want to say, that when I first came here I was afraid.”

The room grew very quiet.

“My mother knew who I was, and I think my father did too, but he was in strict denial. He let me know in his own way that he would tolerate no alternate lifestyle. I told myself I was ready to be open to the world, if only it weren’t for my dad holding me back.”

He paused and looked down at a note card briefly and swallowed.

“Before the start of the school year, my mother had a talk with me, and said she would work on Dad…said she was sure she could bend him…and gave me special jackets for me with my initials on them.”

He glanced down at Louis then, and Louis smiled encouragingly, lump in his throat.

“I always thought I was this brave, noble soldier, who was being held back by his father…until that discussion with my mother. Because I…I grew afraid,” he looked over the group who stared at him expectantly.

“I realized I was afraid, because what if my father had a change of heart?”

Then a pin dropped somewhere.

“See, then I would no longer have him as an excuse.” He voice faltered and he blinked tears. Louis held a fist tightly against his heart, willing Harry to look back at him. “When I joined the fraternity, I was feeling a bit disappointed with myself.”

Every eye in the place focused intently on him.

“Then I came to class one day, and there was a sassy little thing dressed in glittered rainbows.” He smiled down at Louis, and everyone laughed, relieving the tension in the room. 

“And there was no way he was going to let me sit by him!”

More laughter. Steve leaned over and whispered, “You had him from the word go.”

“Now, glittered rainbow shirts on a college man doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but it did get my attention. The next time I saw him, he was in the ACO lounge, announcing the freshman welcome party, and he had spunk, let me tell you. I went to that party hoping to hear more, and I wasn’t disappointed. His speech moved me tremendously; not only that, he was very pretty.”

Louis’s cheeks were pink as he tipped his head back and laughed along with the crowd, then gazed at him fondly.

Harry smiled at him, dimples beaming. Then he looked over the audience.

“To make a long story short, Louis gave me courage.”

The pins started dropping again.

“Wasn’t long before I heard some of the stories about him, and how badly he was treated…and how bravely he fought back. He seemed like somebody worthy to know. I had decided I would wear my personally made jackets all the time. I decided that maybe…” he took a deep breath. “Maybe I wanted my father to turn after all. Maybe I really was ready to be brave.”

“Unfortunately, my father pushed back harder than ever. He made sure the school paper published only things about me that…gave me a certain appearance. When I wore a rainbow cape to the costume party, everybody talked like I was making a mockery. That really hurt, because it was nothing of the sort.”

Louis blinked back tears. He wasn’t going to cry. He heard Zayn and Steve next to him sniff, and then, oops, damn.

“But when I got to know Louis…” And he paused, smiling through his own tears, and at this point, Louis, Zayn, and Steve smirked at one another. “Nothing seemed insurmountable. I came to the October meeting because I needed SOMEONE to know who I was. You all were so welcoming, and I thank you all for this safe place. But Louis is the one who showed me firsthand how to be courageous. He is not you honorary member for nothing.”

“By now you have all heard about went down at the ACO Holiday party.”

A general rumble of laughter rang out.

“My father was there, and was angry at first, but even my father couldn’t resist Louis…” He paused for a ripple of applause. “After all, he put everything aside when I needed saving.” 

“He has come to terms with how things are, and while not perfect, they are better than I ever imagined they could be. I am so happy to be with you tonight, and to finish out the school year being counted as one of the ‘out and proud.’ Thank you Rainbow Regime.” 

He looked to Louis with a radiating glow that Louis returned to him, and spoke tenderly.

“Thank you, Louis Tomlinson.” 

He pressed his palms together and gave a little bow as the whole room stood applauding an ovation. Louis watched as Harry smiled through happy tears and waved, his heart matching his hands as they pounded together, and said to himself, “Thank YOU Harry…thank YOU.” 

EPILOGE

Lunchtime on December 24th found Louis at home surrounded by his family, his siblings piling up presents on the table next to the two-tiered birthday cake with candles yet unlit. 

Ernie stood on tippy-toe, holding onto the table trying to reach the cake with his pointer finger. Louis scooped him up, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“Ah ah, pumpkin, we have to wait for Harry!”

Ernie smiled, pulling at his lips. “Ha-zza!”

Louis laughed, blue eyes twinkling. “Hazza? OK, Hazza!”

“When is he coming?” Phoebe asked impatiently.

“Soon, very soon.”

Jay hugged them both from behind. “I’m so happy for you, Louis. I’m sure he is every bit as wonderful as you say he is.”

The doorbell rang, and everybody cheered as Louis took Ernie with him to the door.

He opened it, and there was Harry standing in front of him looking beautiful, bangs styled over his head, locks flowing over his shoulder. 

“I heard there was a birthday party,” His sparkling eyes danced at Louis, then he smiled at Ernie, who held a finger out to him.

“Hello Hazza,” Louis spoke quietly, tenderly, smiling mischievously, stepping back for him to come in.

Harry stepped over the threshold, returning his look and smiling at everyone gathered expectantly behind Louis.

"Hazza?" He questioned Louis with a smile.

"Ha-zza," Ernie repeated, now reaching for Harry's hair.

"I see!" He answered, delighted, then pulled a small package from behind his back, beautifully done up in gold foil, a red bow perched on top,

"Happy birthday, Louis," he said affectionately, and bent to kiss him to a chorus of awwwws.

He gave Louis a teasing smile as he added, "Believe it or not, I wrapped it myself."

Jay closed the door as they all welcomed him home.


End file.
